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LETTERS FROM

LISELOTTE

Elisabeth Charlotte , Princess Palatine
and Duchess of OrUattSj
‘ Madame ‘

1652- 1722

TRANSLATED AND EDITED BY

MARIA KROLL

LONDON

VICTOR GOLLANCZ LTD
* 97 °

UNIVERSITY OF JODHPUR LIBRARY

•ACC. SUB.BsS™—

GALT. MO

Printed in Great Britain bjt
The Camelot Press lid., London and Southampton ,

CONTENTS

Introduction 9

LETTERS FROM LISELOTTE 27
Appendices

FAMILY TREE 246

SOURCES 248

BOOKS USED 249

HISTORICAL EVENTS 250

Index 25 2

LIST OP ILLUSTRATIONS

Facing page

Madame s letter to Mary of Modena (British Museum,
reproduced by kind permission of the Trustees.) zy

Madame with her children. School of Pierre Mignard.

(Windsor Castle, reproduced by gracious permission of Her
Majesty the Queen.) 32

Monsieur in armour. School of Pierre Mignard. (ManseVf
Butloz) 33

Madamc’s father, the Elector Charles Louis, by Anselm von
Hullc. (Owned by Frau L. Gablcr, Heidelberg, reproduced by
kind peri nission ) 48

M a dame’s brother, the Elector Charles, by U. Kraus.
(Kurpfalzischcs Museum, Heidelberg, reproduced by kind
permission.) 49

Heidelberg Castle, by C. Wiltmore after C. Stanfield. (Radio
Tunes Hulton Picture Library) 49

Madame wearing her hair dressed high, by Nicolas dc
Largilliirc. (Nancy, Mansell JBuHoz) So

Louis XIV, by Hyacinthc RigaucL (Louvre, ivodio Times
Hulton Picture Library) 81

Sophie, Electress of Hanover, by Andreas Scheit.(Historischcs
Museum amHohcn U fer, Hanover, reprodt iced byk ind permission.) 96
Monsieur in middle-age, by Charles Lebrun. (Louvre, Photo
Girandon, Sttark International) 07

Hie royal house of France, by Bonnart. (Bibtiothiquc
Narionale, Stutrh International ) 144

Mine du Maine in fancy-dress, eightccnth-ccntury French
School. (Collection Due de Venddme, Mansell I Butloz) 145

Mme de Matntcnon wearing religious habit, eighteenth-
century French School. (-Radio 27 mr* Hulton Picture Library) 160

Madame in old age, by Hyacinthe Rtgaud. (Kurpfabdsches
Museum, Heidelberg, reproduced by kind permission.) i< 5 r

The Regent, Philippe d'Orltfans, by’ Nicolas de Largillitre,

(Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, Ohio, reproduced by kind
permission.) 192

. e - - • ■- -[L ist of Illustrations'

. Madaine’s daughter-in-law, . ;Mme ‘ d’Orldaris) eighteenth^ ■
century French School!- (Mansell ' Collection) • r '- .^ . 193-

Madame’s * eldest granddaughter,Mme dc Berry, by-'
Desrochers. (Radio Times Hulton Picture Library) y;’. , • '---208,

Louis XV enters Paris. (Bibliotlieque Natioiiale, Stiark litter- ’

national) .'■■■• ' /■ - . .. f.209'

Endpapers: Saint Cloud, engraving by Perelle. (Bibliotheque
Nationale, Sitark. -International) *, ' ' ■ .. . . JO r}.

INTRODUCTION

Of the nmumcrable contemporary accounts of Louis XtV’s long and
golden reign three sull seem as alive today as on die day they were
written Their authors are Mm: dc Sfvigne, the Due dc Saint-Simon
and the King's sister-in-law, Liselotte of the Palatinate Of die three,
Mme dc S£vign£, whose letters to her daughter date from the days
of the Sun King’s glow, was much the most stylish writer. Saint*
Simon, writing during the decline of the reign and the subsequent
Regency, the most accomplished reporter, Liselotte — spontaneous,
bawdy, outspoken, extremely biased, a compulsive letter-writer for
over half a century — the most unexpected

The scope of her letters is vast Theatre news a cure for pmk eye,
observations on the nature of man, fashion notes, descriptions of die
royal palaces and their occupants childhood reminiscences and weather
reports her nnud races from subject to subject and her pen races as
fast as her nund. Failure to adapt herself to her environment is what has
made her Famous, and given her letters their unique quality Unlike
Saint-Simon's memoirs, which were written by someone on the
periphery jealously guarding tins position, her letters are by a person
\ cry much on die inside, yet often wishing to escape
■Elisabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate, Duchess of Orleans, called
Madame and remembered as Liselotte, was the second wife of Philippe 1
d’Orleans, known as Monsieur, the only brother of Louis XIV Her
father v. as Charles Louis, Elector of the Palatinate, and she was bom at
Heidelberg on 27 May 1652, fo ur years after die Thirty Yeats’ War
had ended with the Peace of Westphalia At the time of her birth the
Palatinate sull bore all the terrible marks of thirty years of fighting
looting and burning, but the Elector threw lus considerable energies and
less considerable resources into the rebuilding of his country', and was so
successful that within ten years the economy was once more on a
stable basis, and the famous university reopened

Liselotte *s early childhood was stormy, for her father’s marriage to
Charlotte, daughter of the hereditary Landgrave of Hes^e-Cassc!, had
filled He had already chosen a new partner, Luise von Degen fold, and
since the Electrcss refused to agree to a divorce he married Luise with-
out this formality, citing by way of precedent various instances m the

Introduction

Old Testament, and reviving the ancient tide of Raugravine for his
new wife.

From this curious manage, and the inevitable appalling domestic
scenes (for die Electrcss was a violent woman), Liselotte was removed
in 1659 and sent to stay with her aunt Sophie, the future Duchess of
Hanover. She was away from home for four years, and was very happy
during this period. Sophie was enchanted with her niece, and Liselottc’s
devotion to her herzUeben (ante was touchingly deep all her life.

Sophie’s mother, and Liselotte’s grandmother, was Elizabeth Stuart,
the ‘Winter Queen’ of Bohemia, who for many years had been living
in exile in The Hague. In i6s9 Sophie took her niece there on a visit.
Liselotte was a great success with her grandmother — a triumph
indeed, since that lady had the reputation, when her own children were
young, of having preferred her pets. ‘As for Liselotte, she is very pretty
and you may believe me since I am taken with her,’ she wrote to her
son die Elector, ‘for you know I care not much for children but I never
saw one I like so well as her. She is so good-natured and witty, all The
Hague is in love with her. . . . There is already great acquaintance
between the little Prince and her. ... I can assure you I love her ex-
tremely well, as well as her aunt docs butnot so fond, for she is monstrous
fond of her .’ 1

Everyone continued full of praise for Liselotte. A dancing-master was
engaged : ‘She does already dance the Srtrabnnde with castanets as well
as can be.’ A French master came, and she was given a litde dog as a
reward for progress. Sophie said of her that she had the esprit of a girl
of twenty, and her worldly wisdom was generally admired. When
someone described to lier in glowing colours the project of marrying
her to the little Prince William (later William IH of England), she
remarked that Cinderella had also been promised many splendid things,
but had nevertheless been obliged to live in the ashes.

The Dutch visit came to an cndi in the spring of i<56o. The party
returned, to Hanover, Sophie to prepare for the birth of her eldest sou,
later to become George I of England, and. Liselotte to resume the
roaming about the countryside^ which she had always loved so much.
Her aunt had christened her the ‘ Rauschenbhtt-Knechtchen , or little-
knight-of-the-rustling-Ieaves, a nickname that Liselotte often fondly
referred to long after she had become Madame and full of dignity. She
always remembered her years inHanover as the happiest time of her life.

By the time she returned to Heidelberg, her mother had gone back to
Hesse-Cassel. There were occasional sad little notes to her daughter,
1 The letters of Elizahetit, Queen of Bohemia, I., M. Baker

Introduction rx

ami heart-breaking letters to Lisclotte's governess, imploring her for
news *to tell her ■whether the child ww alive or dead* But Luclottc soon
settled down to live happily with her father, whom she adored, 1m \vj£e
the Raugravmc, and their ever -increasing faintly Her education was
taken over by a new governess Jungfer LJfieln, -who had formerly
occupied tins post, and Irad accompanied her cl urge to Hanover, had
stayed there to marry one ofSophia $ gentlemen, Freiherr von Harling
Liselottc never forgot her and remained eternally grateful to her for
finding a happy balance be ween kindness and firmness She wrote
later If only good Frau von Hailing had stayed with me until I got
married, f should have turned out much better ’

Lisclottcs formal timetable included all the subjects essential for the
education of an important princess singing dancuig needlework and
French The reading of goad books of historical or high moral content
was encouraged other books were almost totally prohibited The
Elector’s enthusiasm for his collection of coins and medals stimulated
her interest in history and anmputy , his tolerant religious beliefs
greatly influenced her own views— hkc him she had no patience with
bigotry, and Ins total demotion to lus country nude her love the Pala-
tinate more than any other place on earth She was a foud mil obedient
daughter

The Elector's ststet-m-law , Anna Gonzaga, known as Tat Palatine*,
lived m France, where she was regarded as Some dung of a political
genius In 1671 she wrote to say thatLiselottc was being considered for
the position of Madame, now vacant through the death of Phihppc of
Orleans’ first wife Henrietta, sister of Charles U The Elector was very
interested for Monsieur must have been far and away the best match m
Europe

Ltsclotte, who had been courted with varying degrees of enthusiasm
by a number of suitors amongst than die Crown Pnnee of Denmark,
the King of Sweden and the Electoral Entice of Brandenburg would
liave preferred to remain single, or at least to marry in Germany, but
she "was soon made to realize that her Cither regarded the zaamage as
une ajfvre important? pour tome la maisoti The Elector knew that Lotus
XIV was preparing to go to war against die Dutch and dreaded the
consequences of another conflict so near home Bv establishing a family
connection, lie hoped that lus dangerous neighbour w ould become less
menacing He felt that he would not so much lose a daughter as gain a
protector, and Lisclottc obediently agreed that royal marriages were
more often affairs of reason than of personal inebriation So the matter
was settled

Iritroduitiori:

: .-iz-

It. 'Was; left to the "Elector,-, whose miserliness' .was ‘well known/ to -
decide what- dowry His daughter should; have, hut Anna; Gorizaga had’. •'
something 'to say regarding - .the. trousseau. ‘It would he; a disgrace 'to
send, the .daughter of the. Elector .to the King. of -France with six shifts. '/
A . dozen, and this marriage may he made .to serve , the .interests 'ofjthe - /
.Elector/ • y.- 1 ’

/ Liselotte ? s conversion to the Catholic faith, the only absolute con-
dition laid .down by France, was a delicate, matter. As .a leading Pro- .

■ testant prince, the Elector was obliged to tread carefully. He decided
that.he should not -be.infbrmed of the event uiitil.it had taken place, and
pretended to.be unaware of the fact that she was receiving instruction in
Heidelberg. In late October .1671, he took her as far as Strasbourg,
..where he kissed her goodbye and left her to be received into the Church
before she went on her way to Metz,' where the marriage took place by
proxy.- She never saw her father or the Palatinate again.

. ‘I am wearied to death .with the continuous repetition of the same
thing over and over again/ writes Mme dc Sevign£, ‘especially the
marriage of Monsieur. I have just written to the Abb 6 de Poincarrd
to cntxcat him not to fill my head with any more of it, nor of La
Palatine who is gone to fetch home the Princess, nor of the Mardchal dc
Plessis who is going to Metz to marry her, nor of Monsieur going to
Chalons to consummate his nuptials, nor of die Ring’s going to Villcrs-
-Cotterets ; in a word, I tell him that I will not hear another syllable,, -
'about the business until they have slept together again and again/

; Monsieur, although die father of two children by his first wife, had
little use for women. When Henrietta had suddenly died, there had
been talk of poisoii. Monsieur himself had been under ..suspicion,

; together with his two fiendish favourites, the Chevalier dc Lorraine and : .
..the Marguls'd-Effiat^by wlidm he was positively possessed until shortly
before liis death: It is only fair to say that Liselotte never believed, for a .
moment, that . her. 'husband, ha id been involved in any murder-plot, "/
though she was -to -reserve heir. judgement witli'iegard to, the other tvvo, :

- .who were soori to make her own life miserable. /- . /

: From- his learliest: youth;’ every feminine-trait in- Monsietu-’s. natiire' ;/

; had ibeeii ‘carefully- fostered. This;- was . done to .-, prevent- ^him ftoinv. '
.becoijiiiig.'a. dangerous rival to Jiis'brotlier, King ftom therage of four.-.

' Minds’ . did mot ;-have; to .‘ stretch : fair . hack : to remeiiiber- -Louis'- XIII’s ■ ; v i
'younger;- brother,'; .Gaston d’Qrleans, ; the ■ -last. -.Monsjeurj ,' endlessly
;intriguing;'and plotting for. ;power. rEn -die .case ..of’diis Monsieur, .any.';

InfroJucttm

possible recurrence of such danger hod to be avoided at all cost- He
showed a talent for soldiering (it was said that he was less afraid of
gunpowder than of exposing his sfon to the sun), and had some
success in the field But when there was too much ‘I'svc If nw* rt Afen-
swiirf he was kept at home, where he fussed ovet his clothes., gave
parties and stuffed htmsclf with sw ccts between meals

Liselottc has recorded her first impressions of Monsieur. ‘Never,*
she writes, 'v.ere two brothers more dissimilar than die Kmg and
Monsieur’, although, she adds, ‘they were very fond of each other all
die same' Unlike the King, who was ash-blond, tall, manly, and of an
extraordinarily noble appearance, Monsieur's looks, she said, were only
fairly noble His hair was pitch-black, as were his ey ebrows and
ladies, hu eyes were large and brown His nose was large, his mouth too
small, and filled with ugly teeth His manners were more womanish
than manly He liked gambling, entertaining dancing eating and
dressmg-up — m short lie liked everything tliat ladies like And, very
different from his brother, who thoroughly enjoyed his galantertes.
Monsieur looked on women exclusively as comrades, and seems never
to have been in love in his life

La Grande Mademoiselle, the King s cousin, who met Liselotte at
the first of a series of presentation balls, remarked that the new Madame
looked well enough to her, but added that Monsieur did not think so,
aud seemed surprised by her favourable opinion Ln fact, he thought
his new w ife completely hideous It is true that when first he saw her
she had been eating pomegranates which liad stained her teeth, and
had been out in the November air without the protection of a mask.
Moreover, she was absurdly overdressed in pale blue silk. But even if
she had been less purple-toothed and. rcd-coinplexioned, and more
suitably dressed for the season, it is doubtful whether Monsieur,
scented, rouged and benbboned, would have fouud much to adrrurc in
tins gtrl, the prototype ©fall the hoydens ever to gallop into an exquisite
tableau. Elegance, he saw, wis sadly lacking, although that cannot have
mattered too much he was elegant enough for both of them.

An early portrait shows Liselottc to be a fresh-faced, medium-sized
girl with wide, intelligent eyes While it w obviously impossible to say
how far the painter bent the truth to flatter the sitter, it is equally
obvious that she was then a very far cry indeed from the formidable,
square old lady whose portrait Rigaud painted forty years or SO later,
and of whom Saint-Simon wrote a little earlier, *A lady of the Old
Regime. German to the last drop of her blood, with die figure of a
Swiss guard ’ The standards of beauty of the time made no provision

• * 4 * ~ k .---}- •

. for apple-rcheeked, pleasant-looking girls, and Bjselotte,' : accuitpmed'to ;
'family jokes’ about ; her ; ‘badger-nose’ : and ‘bear-cat-mohkey £ace\had
grown; iip considering herself extremely plain and was the first to inake
fun of her looks.' She did not- so much give up -the struggle to present
a fashionable appearance at the French Court’ as; refuse to enter it m 1
die first pi ace. *>- v V •'.•.fOs'.'. ■/

She would ;not;take her wardrobe or her hair seriously.- Monsieur in
person Offered to apply maker-up to her face, but- she found the cx-r
periencc unpleasant. Even after that wretched blue silk had been for-
gotten (ha, Grande Mademoiselle had. cliaritably remarked, that, as
there were such quantities of fur in Germany, she expected that silk had
.been intended to lend a niorc Frencliified air), the Court was in a con-
tinuous titter about Xiselottc’s clothes. Soon she appeared only en
grand habit, the official Court dress worn for formal, occasions, or in her
riding-clothes. She .wore these . garments as ‘if they were a kind of
uniform, , with the security sucli camouflage bestows. She had her
grand habit constructed in a special way. For quick and convenient
dressing and undressing all the many separate parts — stays, petticoats,
underskirts aud the slit overskirt— were joined together by little tapes;
and as soon as Madame was laced up she was ready to face the world.
The only further instructions to her tailors were to keep her clothes
light in weight,- and this, in the days of silver and gold trimmings and
jewelled embroidery , which made fashionable women’s clothes as
heavy as horses’ trappings; was no mean request.

: Lisclotte’s disregard for her appearance, was matched by her other
tastes. Small talk bored her. She did not care for gambling, the greatest
indoor amusement of the day. She liked neither parties nor balls, and-
.came to detest dancing. ’

. - The Court .wit who .declared that Monsieur was the most foolish of
women. and Madame the most, foolish of men was mistaken if lie
-thought tliat she was a lesbian.- She had some sharp things to say about
women in love witli each other. and all ;that she described as unnatural,
practices'. liatucal practices -seemed to hold no interest -for. her either:
thoPrmcesse de;MQhacp, after various, futile attempts; to introduce. a
iitde.loyevlnterest into her, life;, declared, bursting into '.tears lof-frustray.
tiofiyltliit .Germans Were colder than -other people; it is} true that-iii
? childhood Liselotte.lxad often longed to be;a boy, aiid had preferred her"
bfotiierisjtpys'tb Ker qwn.ddlls.'it is true'that'the ,C^urt'was_ convinced;,
ffiat‘sliiSw4s;ind^?-^wth;thc Kang; The. Princesse de Taresit (another -of
: fiebauiitsj.'and.Mme;de Sevigrips neighbour in the, cquntry'y, who used
;to;;driyfe ;pyer'mn ;jputposc^to; read .‘out foe letters^she.'receiyed froiix

ItitrpJncltcnt

Madame), referring to this rumour, said, ‘Alt the world except for
Madame herself knows very well wlut is tlie matter with her/ She’
was probably right; hut, whatever Liselottc's tendencies, they remained
firmly repressed, and she herself unconscious of them. She was not in
the least amorous*, nor was there a trace of coquetry in her. Shortly
after her household was set up, Mme de S6vign6 wrote that she rather
pitied the laches of the entourage, owing to the boredom they had to
endure in the name of virtue.

Mme de S^vigne. who wrote to her daughter that the King showed
an assiduity in providing diversions for this Madame that he never did
for her predecessor (‘Not a night passes at St Germain without balls,
plays or masquerades'), found Liselotte much better tlian she had
expected, and was greatly surprised at her wit, 'not so much for the
spriglultness of her humour as for her good sense, although when Iter
physician was presented to her, she said she had no business to offer,
that she had never been bled or purged in her life, and that it was her
custom, if she was ill, to take a two league walk, which cured her at once’.

Liselottc’s love of walking made a great bond between her and the
King. He said, rather sadly, that of all the Court she was the only one
who truly appreciated the beauties of Versailles. They went for long
walks together, and after she had learned to nde she went out hunting
With him whenever possible. She became a very good rider indeed, and
when die was no longer able to accompany the hunt on horseback, she
followed in her caiWie.

The {act dint the King was well disposed towards her made an enor-
mous difference to her cnfrfr into Court society. While she was in no
way overawed by thesplendour of hernew surroundings, she was grate-
ful for a helping hand, or rather a helpful nudge from an elbow to
indicate when sloe was to rise and when to sit during die. ceremonial
presentations that marked her appearance at Court. These the King
provided with un foiling kindness. When he took her to be introduced
to the Queen lie whispered cheeringly, ‘Courage, Madame, she is more
frightened of you dun you of her.’

■When Liselotte arrived in France, the gilded splendour of Versailles
was suli to come. Building had started in 1662, but so for the palace was
only the scene of occasional, breaih-takingly beautiful fetes. Until 1682
the "Louvre was Loins XIV 's official residence, and when the Court was
m town Monsieur and his household stayed at die Palais-Royal.
Monsieur’s out-of-town palace was the chateau of Saint Cloud.

Introduction

:'1 6

Wherever die- King, was- staying, has' day scarcely varied; It /began,
with -die Grand i Lever. This. was a highly ceremonious occasion.
While die greatest privileges, such as the handing of the royal shirt or
the royal gloves, •were reserved for members of tlih King’s family, some
fortunate courtier might find himself distinguished by an . invitation to
hold die-royal candle, and. there was fierce competition for such
honours. It -was the King’s deliberate policy to stimulate and encourage
this rivalry, for when the nobles spent their, lives in plotting for small
distinction^ they had little time, to spare for political intrigue. : Even the
seating, arrangements were subject to stringent rules. . Faiitettils (or
armchairs) were reserved for upper royalties. Lower royalties sat on
armless chairs', while tabourets— large, upholstered, lo wish footstools —
accommodated anyone widipermission to sit in the presence of the great.

. Under Louis’ regime— and again as a matter of policy — the aristo-
crats’, were .totally excluded .from affairs of state. All die same, leaving
tbeif estates to look after themselves, they gathered round their King,
sole dispenser of honours. Away from the Court there was nothing
to hope for. ‘Someone we see only rarely,’ the King would say dis-
dainfully of anyone who did not appear regularly.

Between his Lever and Ills Coticher, Louis crammed a very full day
indeed. Long walks in his parks or hunting in his forests. Mass and
Sahit in his chapel, extended visits to mistresses, copious meals, fetes,
masques, ballets, theatricals, and, most important of all, long, regular,
working hours widi his Council.

Since France was at . war for almost fifty years of the King’s reign,
and a state of emergency was therefore normal, Liselotte’s letters
mention die wars only en passant, unless loved ones. Palatine, Hanover-
ian'or French, were involved, when she writes blow-by-blow accounts.
In the ordinary way, princes and courtiers of military age departed for
' the battlefield each spring when the season for fighting came round,
again. The King, often accompanied by the ladies, Would appear at the
front when victories were iminineut, but for the rest of die time .the
pleasures of Court life unrolled in undiminished tempo. Louis relished
his nitiicr de roi,iiid saw to it that diose about him had ample opportune
■Ity to share bis tastes. ; ' • r ; , W-.

•• Besides' the.: King 'and -liis- ■.■Queen, the immediate royal fanhly/in-
cluded the Uauphin; whom, die -Queen -had managed to produce ten
years previously. Marie-Therese’s many failures. to provide living heirs'
;.fof:the throne ;of France .(she sufiered frequent miscariiagesancLstili-
birtlis, and other- cbildrcii • had died in . infancy) : was blamed; by. the
: dqjctors ori die King. He bad;' they said, made a habit of providing .his

Introduction

wife, whosfc bed be shared every night rcgirdlcss of how he had spent
the earlier part a f the evening with only the dregs of a bottle that had
previously been all but drained by others' 'Others’, at the time of
Lisclotte s arrival, were Louise dc la Val litre and Athdnais de Montc-
span, to whom Mme dc S6vign£ refers, respectively, is the Dew and
the Torrent

Louise dc la Valhecc, the Dew, was good and beautiful, and, accord-
ing to Lisclotte, she was ‘the only one of the King’s mistresses who
loved him unselfishly and for himself alone’ She was soon to retire to a
convent, where she became Sccur Louise Miscncordc Her daughter,
the only one of her children by the long to survive for any length of
time, was the first of Louis XIV’s dnldrcn to be legitimized, she became
the Pnneesse dc Conti

Mmc dc Montespan, die Torrent, ambitious and capricious m
Lisclottc’s opinion loved the King out of pure self-interest* She became
die official favourite only after Louise s departure, although — besides
having a son by her own husband — she was already die mother of two
dnldrcn by the King the Due dn Maine and a baby girl who was to die
young {She was later to bear die Comte dc Toulouse , a daughter who
became Mmc la Duchesse and Lisclotte s future daughter-in-law, MUc
de Blois ) Tlicsc dnldren were being secretly brought up m Pans
Their governess was the widov. Scarron later to become the Marquise
dc Mtumcnon, Mmc dc Montespan’s successor m the a flection of the
King and Luc lone’s greatest enemy at Court

There were also Monsieur’s two daughters from his previous mar-
riage Manc-Louise, aged ten, and Anne-Manc, aged two Liselottc —
not yet twenty when she became Madame — enjoyed tearing around
with the former and mothering the latter She kept up a regular,
affectionate correspondence with both, when in due course they left
home, Mane-Loimc to become Queen of Spam and Anne-Mane to
many the Duke of Savoy

And tlien there was Monsieur himself Lisclotte, fully aware diat she
had filled to please lum, wrote, ‘No witchcraft at work there, con-
sidering how plain I am, but t shall live with him on such good terms
that he will get accustomed to my ugly face and come to like me * To
her credit, she was soon able to write to her aunt that Monsieur was die
best man in the world and 'we live very well together’

The halcyon days of the marriage lasted none too long and m view
of the couple’s incompatibility it is amazing tliat they ever dawned at
all Three children, of whom two survived, were horn before Monsieur
and Madame deaded to sleep m separate rooms

hiirodficiibsi

■ Mohticur'i'who; dreaded boredom more than' ahythmg-in.thc world- ;,
and. found his wife's company- the reverse of entertaining, was 'soon-;
amusing luniself with his unspeakable friends. They tutned him agamst .
Liselottc ..With little'difficiilty'.and she, found dierselfleft to heir own,;
deyices. This did not affect her too much so long- as sHe ejijoyed' the-
King’s friendship; but when France invaded. her native Palatinate me
climate oftheir relationship changed. Mme.de Maintenon’s appearance
on .the scene, and heir determination to ‘reform’ the King, estranged;
them still further. Lisclotte grew troubled and bewildered. -The,
persedutiortof die Protestants, for which she mistakenly' held- Mme.de/
Maintcnon' responsible, enraged her and made her hate die favourttc;
even more. The most dreadful blow of all was the marriage of her soil 1 •
to tlie King’s bastard daughter by Mme de Montcspan. That , the
descendants of this match were to include Pliilippe Egalite aiid Lbuis
Pliilippc of France, as well as kings of Bulgaria and of die Belgians,
would have been no comfort to her. The descendants of her daughter’s .
more suitable match, among whom were Marie Antoinette, Napoleon’s
wife Marie Louise, Austrian emperors and die kings of Italy, would have •
pleased her more. ’Mousedroppings among the pepper’, as she .called .
nrfsalUances, were the chief aversion of her life.

. She had die strongest possible ideas of right and wrong, and-.'Ker...
rigidity on questions of propriety became a byword. Hypocrisy was ;
wrong. So was vice, from sodomy to indulgence in tobacco. Adultery
was, naturally, wrong, double adultery worse. Priests were usually .

• wrong, and so were ‘those other charlatans, die doctors and the lawyers*:-.

■; Mmc de Maintcnon was always wrong: indeed, she was what was;
mainly wrong with France. V ■’

.■ rv ■

Monsieur’s death in. 1701 did little to change Lisclottc’s position '-at;
Versailles, except that it effected a temporary reconciliation with:
Mine de Maintcnon., by then secretly - married to- the King :(Maao«. '
■ Thdrese had died hi' i<S83),;Louis grew friendlier again, -but not for ;
- -long, and Madame was as much of a misfit at Versailles as she had always

• been; Her. skiinch and steadfast Gcrmaimess has often been offeredhy'

, .explanation but, ; if :she remained ; a -foreigner -in the place where she ■ •
’ spehthcr life;; she , was no exception: Louis’ dea&Qucen had aiways beciiV
•. more Spanish ' than French, and -her daughter-in-law, the Dauphine,:;
! wai a Bayariah tb her dyin’g-^y.’.-William of ■Orange did not change- .
:''ihtq. ; an Ehglisfoiian: when -He was crowned King of England;, noi/did,,
•••Liselqtte’s cousin, /George -of /Hanover, after his ■ assumptions of -die/

Introduction

i£

English throne In an age when kinship like soldiering was regarded,
as a profession, notions of patriotism as we understand the term today,
r ere unlikely to exist

So when Lisclottc criticized, as she never stopped doing French
manners. Trench habits, French morals food fashions and society, she
was criticizing not die French nation, of which she had no concept, but
the Court at which she lived. And when she writes ofGcrmany , where
it seems that even the pancakes were superior owing to richer sod,
richer grass, s/ccker cows that gave richer milk for tidier butter, she was
thinking of her childhood youth, home, relations, and a iuppy,
Carefree life In remembering all she had lost she was far from unique
so many little princesses posted abroad to marry sent home horrific
accounts of the procedures in. their new palaces Hut they were less
talented Icttcr-wx iters than Liselotte. and none has gone down in history
as Such a very square peg in such a round hole as slic.odd-Madamc-our,
for all posterity

Ironically enough, she failed to adapt herself to her new world not
because she was so strangely unlike its inhabitants but because she was
so very like sharing with them their mam preoccupation in life, the
respect due to rank.

The Court rank of Madame was beyond discussion and no one
would have dreamt of encroaching on any privilege arising from it
Twice, for extended periods, it caused her to become first Lady of
France once in the period between the death of the Queen and the
marriage of the King’s grandson and again after the death of hec own
granddaughter Nevertheless, she wore tlut title lightly What con-
cerned her was the rank she had been bom to She prided herself on her
own pure-blooded lineage, and considered an elector the equal of any
king The French habit of not taking foreign titles seriously, their
disregard for her illustrious electoral descent, hurt her amour prop re
and poisoned all her relationships Her own ancestry included Mary
Queen of Scots, and through liet Stuart blood die had a better claim on
the English throne than her cousin George, until her conversion to
Catholicism made her ineligible Tlut her own daughter-in-law, the
bastard daughter of the Kmg dearly regarded herself as superior to
her husband Lisclo tie’s own son and the King’s legitimate nephew,
infuriated her She was quick to spot any Sign of disrespect to electoral
visitors from abroad, and in. return did not trouble to bids her con-
tempt for what she considered die questionable and sometimes recent
nohihty of the courtiers, whom she thought presumptuous and
impertinent.

diitroduitmi.

• Fond ofplainrspeakirig— I ndver,prais6. : wb2t is ill-done, I/am,. thank
Godi a little too sincere' for that’— rslie inade.no bones about heir views-/: ■’ :
on.diis and many other subjects. Although she would h.aye -liked . to . 5
please, she was quite disastrously unprepared to disseirible;' and. many /
people, nervous ofher sliarp'tonguei avoided her for her own. ’sake and.. -'
not only because she was-out of favour. ■- -r

So her correspondence came to take the place ofher social life;;When ;
others would gather for a dish of tea or coffee, (both exotic beverages-.;.-,
only recently introduced), Liselottc would instead take up .her position ’ ;
at her writing-table, placed to. face the window that she usually, kept. \/
Wide open. Her little dogs would be grouped about 'herfearih -.m its
appointed place, and.'if one of them should jump up on the table .and
blot a passage, she- would express the hope that her reader -.would still-
be able to deciphcr it and calmly write on. , "Y\.,

Each day of the week was reserved for writing to a different person. ;

' Some people, including her aunt Sophie, were allocated. two post-days. /Vo
There were occasions when she wrote letters at an unearthly hour' of ;,
the morning; dressed only in her shift because of the unbearable' ,hea r ti' .
On other days she wrote from her bed, and even then could Hardly; . ;
hold her pen because of the freezing cold. There were the rimes when..
she could barely sec the paper tlirough her tears, as when the series of
dreadful deaths wiped out almost die whole succession to the throne of
France; and again after the death of die King, whose parting worth
assured her that he had, after all, always been her friend.

Writing letters gave purpose to her existence and backbone to her
life. Aware that ail Court correspondence was carefully examined by
die postmaster 'arid his cabinet ttoir, she. reserved her more indiscreet
comments for letters that she could safclyscnd by hand: Even so, some-' -
of- her letters sent by the regular post were considered questionable by V; /
the censors. Every now and then 1 copies of these reached the lClng; and
Madairic would be taken to task' for wliat she had written. After' the', . -’
: King’s death the Regent sorrieritiie's received copies, but lie did not take
. Jus •rnother’s letters Very seriously/ In any case, "she. .was titterly un-i
political. She 'had not tlieslightest intention of interfering iii' die govern-^ :-u
•merit of Eraricc.; She observed that die country/ to" its cost,: had been
•ruled , by old wdmeu for all 'too dong. She was tliinking of tire', dreaded -
' Mine d e Mai ntenon, ri 0 w retired to 'a .convent;, where she -died, of the . ;
;.medsles,' in iyipV.i i,,- ; i --fy. ... ’- ."o 0. ' V yoo

. . Iri ' the . passing of time, 1 . death removed many of 'Eiselo,tte’s c6rres- y ; :
•pohdehtsr-She /missed' iherii -less .for .the letters -diey sent lier ;;dian' : as w
•recipients df her owii- letters/ and /replaced them as best /she could; A - 1 ; *

fn iTOifticttan

good acquisition was Caroline^ Princess of Wales, who hid made her
first appearance in Lisclottc’s correspondence when die was Caroline
of Anslrtdi, years ago. Lwclottc Had never met her, but her aunt
Sophie had been fond of her, and she made a link with old times. Thu
enabled Luclotte to live her life all over again m her letters. As slic
conjures up the past, her memory seems astonishing. We know that she
could never be bothered to copy any but business letters, but there arc
no useanttstenaes, only slight variations ui detail, in the events which
she describes again, after a lapse of manyycars

Some of the old sadnesses are forgotten, though The loneliness and
isolation of those earlier years is not recalled; only the happy memories
survive. The pan is bathed ut the glow of the Sun King's personality, a
golden age when a Court was still a Court and people understood the
act of Irving.

In 1722 Lnelottc prepared to set out to Rheum to attend Louis XV’s
coronation Questioned about the wisdom of this undertaking, for she
was seventy and suffered from dropsy, she replied tliat the difficulty of
going to heaven was no greater from Rhcims than from Pans, She
survis cd the occasion and returned, having once again seen her
daughter, who was married to the Due dc Lorraine, and met her
Lotrame grandchildren fbt the first and last tune. She died in the night
of December 8 th, 1722 She was laid to rest without pomp, as tad beat
her wish, in Saint-Denis on December 10th. A contemporary drnist,
MatUtcu Marais, notes on that day, ‘On peril tine home princes*?, cat
unt chose rare."

Ma dame’s letters arc well known in Germany, almost as well known
m France, and very Utile known in "England Here, her claim, to fame
rests mainly on her contribution of footnotes to historical works dealing
withhcT contemporaries and the events of her penod.

The importance of her letters as a source of information has long
bem recognized. Schiller and Ranke used part of her correspondence
m their works on eighteenth-century history', and her letters to the
Abbe Dubois, her son's tutor, form part of the standard work cm that
statesman. But they arc most often consulted cm points of French Court
life, etiquette and domestic detail, Slic is regarded as an accurate
reporter of these nutters, whereas in the case of her reports cm, say,
Mmc dc Mamtenon, when she allows herself to he carried away by
her strong feelings, her statements should be taken with a gram of salt.
The first packet of Lssclotte s letters was discovered in the Brunswick

Introduction

ardiives in 1747. The more scandalous passages 'were speedily copied,
out, and subsequently published in a little book called Anekdoten vom
Franzosischen Hof, These original Anekdoten were translated into garbled
French and appeared in 3788. They were then retranslated into German
and reissued in 3789. In the meantime, more and more of her letters
were found in various German princely arcliives. These were gradually
published, and around the end of the nineteenth century there appeared
the first selections of letters made from all the published material, in
French translation for publication in France and in the original German
for publication in Germany. The first English translation, a limited
luxury edition of the letters that had first app eared in 1789, was published
in 1904 by the Grolicr Society. The second and only other English
version, translated and edited by Gertrude Scott Stevenson, came out in
1924. It was based on the French Jaegld edition, and was a good deal
more comprehensive than the previous collection.

The material for this present book is drawn from die collections of
Madamc’s German correspondence. Many of the letters will be new to
English readers; others cannot be given here, for Madame wrote
so much that a choice had to be nude. None of her French corres-
pondence is included. 1 For one tiling, all her most intimate letters were
written to German correspondents, and only in German docs she
express herself in the vigorous way for which she came to be admired.
Her style, which in part relics on her use of colloquialisms, poses a
problem for the translator. To give a true equivalent it is impossible,
here and there, to avoid anachronisms, words and phrases that have
only entered the English language since Madamc’s time. Where, for
instance, she observes that Peter the Great’s son is ripe for the 'Abdecker,
which from time immemorial has been the term for the man who
slaughters horses, the only English translation that adequately conveys
her vivid language is 'knockers’, a word that according to the Oxford
English Dictionary did not come into use until 1847; and therefore to the
knackers Alexej must go.

The object of this book is to present Madame’s life, as written by
herself This means that her personal ups and downs, her interests and
idiosyncracies, are as much to the point as more momentous affairs
and die great set pieces which are so often quoted. It has also governed
the omissions. Many of the bawdy stories bad to go. So did her reports
of a number of events which, though fascinating in themselves and

1 The example of Lisdotte’s handwriting facing p. 27 is taken from, a letter written
an French, for when she writes in German she uses German script, and for all the
insight this gives into her character she might be writing in Arabic.

Introduction

folly treated by her contemporaries, dul not directly impinge on her
life And there are only a few of the ghost stones she took such pride
m not behoving bu Irreligiously passed on just the same
Repetition has, so far as is possible, been avoided, although, m order
tint a true picture might emerge, many of her strongest sentiments have
been allowed to recur For the sake of continuity, there are no ‘ , *

marks where passages have been omitted from the letters

The brief linking notes are intended to sketch in the historical
background to the letters rather than give a complete picture of the
situation.

To say that this collection has no pretensions to scholarship would in
itself be pretentious If, by its end, Madame emerges as a real person,
lather than a historical personage, then some light will have been
thrown on the woman of whom Leibniz, an admirer, said, ‘Kite a
Scs furni£rft *

Le tiers from Lise lotte

)'«?Madamcs letter bfcongratukrionto.Wfery of Modeni.oh..the birth ofher sofa:-;

LETTERS FROM LISELOTTE

Lud cue's aunt Sophie, with whom she had stayed in Hanover ai a cluld,
was one of her favourite correspondents. The granddaughter of James I
of England, Sophie married Ernest Augustus of IJ runs wick-LUce burg,
later Elector of Hanover. The English Act of Settlement nominated her
as the successor to the throne of England, hut she died, at the age of
eighty-four, two months before Queen Anne. Her son, the Elector
(George Louis, succeeded to the throne and later became George I.
The letter below was written when Lueiottc had been at the French court
for almost three months.

Sophie

St Gertiu mi 5 February 16 72 My dearest aunt will not receive my
portrait yet — even the one for papa wasn't dry enough to send I
would, of course, a thousand times rather deliver them myself, or that
you and unde should come and collect them, but I lurdly imagine that
cither is possible.

It isn’t that I take longer walks than 1 did at home, or more of them,
but people here arc as lame as geese, and apart from the Kin g and Mme
dc Ghcvreusc 1 I don’t know anyone who can walk twenty paces with-
out puffing and putting

As for my crying, it’s true that I wept all night long, from Stras-
bourg to Chalons. I couldn’t hide my distress after we had said good-
bye. ~ *

■ Another of Lisclotte s faithful correspondents was her former governess,
who, together with her husband, was a member of Sophie* s entourage.

PBATJ VON HmiUNG

Versailles 2j Notretuler 1672 Qh, my dear Frau von HarUng, how
peculiar it feels to your little knigl it-o f-tli c-rustl 1 n g 4 eaves not to be
allowed ttj run and jump, or even tide in a carnage no wand tlicn, but to
be carried everywhere in a sedan-chair ! If only it could be done with
soon, it might be a different matter; but it must go on for tunc months

* Jeanne Marie Colbert, Ducbesse dc Chcvreuit, daughter of the TCuig’r first
minister.

j Letters from Liselqtiej

2.8

What a sad business! When tills egg is hatched at last, I wish- 1 , could v'/.?-
post it to you at Osnabriick. I know from' my own expedience that -it <:
would be well looked after. You understand this- frade better /than.}
anyone in this country. Here, no infant is safe. The doctors have already, \v ;
helped five of the Queen’s into the next world. The last onedied. three};.- ■},
weeks ago, and three , of Monsieur’s have been despatched in the same
way, as lie says himself .. .. f,' ■ ■ •>-; •; w--.

A propos of bringing up children: if you wantto sendme one— -a
page-boy, that is — you must do so soon. One of mine is joining , the , -
military to-morrow or the day after, butfllkecp the position - open -
until I hear whether or not you would like me to have one of your' }
relations. . .."

The Harlings, . availing themselves of the privilege, sent a nephew,
Ebcrhard Ernst Franz, aged six. He rose to become captain ofMadamc’s }}.
guard in 1715, and remained a member of her household until she died. '

St Cloud 30 May 1673 Thank you for the trust you and M Harling
have shown in sending me your little nephew. You may be sure that I !
shall do my best to look after him. He is a sweet child, and not only •
Monsieur and I but all the others adore him. He already waits at tabic
just like the other pages, and he’s beginning to speak and understand
French. I have lodged him apart from the others, in a hotlse where the '
mistress takes care of him, and sees that his hair is combed every day, >
his linen washed and Ills prayers said. I am having a little canopicd bed
made for him so that he can sleep by liimsclfi He eats with my young
ladies, and I hope lacks for nothing. His first office here was to wait at ; 7
. table on one of my prettiest young ladies, which didn’t displcasehim, .
because as soon as -the meal was over she gave him a kiss. He thought . .
that. such an agreeable custom should he encouraged, and once, when ,
shefdrgot to kiss him; die little man planted himself in front, of her .

; arid held out ’his cheek. She feaid-he was so adorable that she couldn’t .
refuse hifo; So> you see. He has already bccome,a < gflfiwf here ;in France.

'.'; : Eisclotte’s first son; Alexandre-tbuis d’Orleans, Due'de Valois, was bbrri :

,on 2 June 1673. $he .yTOte sdon afterwards td Frau vort Harling . that..-.- ■ •
; ,f since. f nave at iVays been like yoiir own child, you will now" feel that-
.'.you have a, neW. grandchild^ a fihe'heaIth.y : hoy.TA;s&cond.'son, Philippe', % '
IId’OrI< 5 aiis, ; ipiic, de!Charfrra,-ym;bom on A ■ August* 1674. .. J: ; v.:X \ ..

Letters fiom Useloftt

5 opuis

St Chu /1 22 August 1674 rf my wish could come true, your little
princess’ would, many M. le Dauphin. instead of my son, he is a better
catch and their ages are just right- Perhaps ) ou could produce another
daughter for my boy 7 I wish to God our princess m Heidelberg 1
would begin to follow our good example. But first and foremost l
wish that God may soon send them peace, because, if M dc Turenne
carries off any more cattle, broth will become expensive m the Pala-
tinate *

I am being called downstairs The King, the Queen and the Dauphin
have come to pay me a visit. They are passing through on their way
from Pans, where Tc Dcums have been sung everywhere because of
the battle hi le Prince has won < He has defeated the Prince of O range’s
ambre-garde, and taken much booty and many prisoners All that may
he well and good, but frankly 1 should preffr a prosperous peace, and
for tile dear Palatinate and papa to be left alone

St Germain id November 1674 I must just tell you tlut a horoscope
which has been cast for my younger son shows that he will be pope,
but I'm very much afraid he’s more likely to be the Antichrist

Versailles 22 August 1675 My two holy terrors are making such a
rumpus that I can hardly heat myself tlunk. Hie elder one has been a
little quieter this last fortnight he now has five new teeth, including
die eyeteeth. He will be weaned in the autumn, but already he's fond
of eating chunks of bread, which he clutches in lus fist like » peasant
The y oungcr one is beginning to walk now and tries to run and jump
too , he’s even stronger than his brother But I tlunk that is enough about
the boys

Next Monday we go to Fontainebleau — the King is taking me I
have never been there before 1 hope we shall have a gay time All
thchuntsmen and actors are coming too

St Child 14 September 1673 1 must adnut that 1 enjoyed myself
wonderfully v, ell at Fontainebleau, though it was a pleasure dearly

1 Sophie Charlotte Sophie’s only daughter, then six years old.

1 laselottc’i childless »«er m-liw. Wifljemm* Emertme of Denmark.

1 The Marichal de Turame was leading Bn troops through the neutral Palatinate
♦ The Battle of Scnefic Hetur-fulcs ID, Pnnee dc Coadd v.« at the Bead of the
victorious troops.

.Letters fTpm'pisiiqiie'

paid for. I came back to find my elder son at death’s door. I: told Mon-
sieur that if I were- .in charge I should send my'childfcn. . to’- Fran yon-
Harling in- Osnabriick, because then .I could ' be sure : ;that they -.wouid
neither die nor be pampered as they are here, ,wjiich.quite driyes 'nie-
out of my mind. ... • . ' .

Liselottcs cider hoy died in March 1676. She felt ‘as UioiigK her- heart '.S ;
had been plucked from Her body’. ‘If the Almighty doesn’t, take very.
special . care of the child I am carrying now,’ she;. wrote to Fraii vdri '
Harling, ‘I shall have little hope of its life and well-being, for it cannot -
have remained unaffected by my distress.’ Her last child, a daughter, was t : ;

: bom on 13 September 1676. ly.- ':-

Frau von. Harling . ; .

St Cloud 10 October 1676 I feel as well as can be, though this labour .;
was much harder than the other two. Frankly, it has quite put me off; ;,
and left me without die least desire to produce the organ-pipe you
talk about. It is such a strain. If they survived it might be a different
story, but just to see them die as I did earlier du's year— truly, there is no.
joy in it.

Chartres, whom I so often wish in your cate, is now in perfect
health, thank heaven, and so is his sister. She is as fat as a Michaelmas '
goose, and large for her age. They were cliristcncd last Monday. They
are called after Monsieur and me — the boy Pliilippc and the girl
Elisabeth Charlotte. Now there is anodier Lisclottc in the world.

SOPKTE . ' ■V.i-'-’lf ..V.

St Germain 14 December 1676 I do beg your pardon 1 for not writing
(for such an eternity. . First of all I have been at Vcrsailles, where I.was
kept busy the whole day. long. ~Wc hunted all morning, got back at
J 3 o’clock hi the afternoon, changed, went up to gamble , until 7 o’clock,

' then to |the play, which never ended before 10.30, then on to supper,
(arid afterwards tp, the ball until 3 o’clock in the morning, and then we .
.weht-'tdbfedr So yoasee how mtichtime I had for writing,'.

. (ySmcelVc been back I meant; to. write every day, but thcrei.haveheen.

‘ constant ihterf uptiohs, riot the leas t of them tiresome visitors .whom I
wished upto.myselfby-fidl.ifig'off my horse; J must, tell you the Wlidlc;
story.

VWe‘:had .caught, : a : hare . and. flushed; ii magpie,- aiid were ambliiig',
falra^f.My'liahit'WK uncomfortable,' for some reason, aiid I Iemt ddwn .

Lgfiw from Ustktte 31

to adjust st At that moment a hate started up and everyone gave chase.
My horse, seeing the others go, tried to follow, and gave a great lunge.

1 was half out of die saddle already, and this suddenly threw me side-
ways. Without taking my foot out of foe stirrup 1 reached for foe
pommel to remount, but in getting hold of it lost the reins. I called to
the rider in front of me to stop my horse, hut he came at me with such
a rush that my horse was frightened, turned, and bolted in the opposite
direction. I held on tightly while the others were hi sight, but when 1
couldn’t see them any longer I let go and calmly dropped on to the
grass All this went off so well, thank heaven, that l didn't harm myself
at all "You will admire the King, whom you liked so much for being
such a comfort to me during my lying-in, even more in this affair,
he was the first by my side, pale as death, and though l told him that
1 hadn't hurt myself or fallen on my head he insisted on examining it
very carefully. At last he was satisfied, and himself took me back to
my apartments, where he stayed with me for some time to make
ccitam I wasn't dizzy. 'When lie was quite reassured he left 1 must say,
he shows me greater favour every day He talks to me whenever we
meet, and sends for me each Saturday to join hun at Mm: de Mo mo-
span’s for Medrano the 1

Consequently, 1 am now very much H la mode, and whatever I say
or do, good or bad, is vastly admired by all the Court, to such an
extent that when I put on my old sable wrap during the recent spell of
cold weather everybody rushed to have one made to die same pattern *
It's the height of fashion now. It makes me laugh. The very people who
now admire this style, and even wear it themselves, used to jeer at my
sables, so that 1 didn’t dare wear them. But that’s how it goes here. If
people think you’re in favour you can do no wrong, but if dicy think
the opposite >ou would be considered ridiculous even if you had come
straight from heaven. I wish you could spend a few months here and
see what manner of life we lead. I’m suic we should have some good
laughs.

Versailles 4 'November 1677 Every other day, and sometimes two
or three days running, I hunt with the King We hunt as much here as
We do at Fontainebleau. The King has acquired a taste for stag-hunting,
which I am very glad about. 1 follow as often as I can, and love hunting
as much as His Majesty. It is a real delight for a knight-of-the rustling-

* The irudrught meal taken aft er a fan-day.

* Lnclonfo fur-piccc came to be called ’ia Palaune", and this u still the dictionary
term for a certain kind of shoulder- Wrap

32 . ; '

leaves like me, and there, is not so' mudi dressing, dip,. or

rouge as for parties.' ‘ --af )G,

St Germain 24 November 1677 You say you are; : 'gla^f^t'.Gopieiife^|
plays are coming into fashion again, and I inust tell you '.that ith&ylaref:|
all being performed now, one after the other, event the vcry'.bldest, ;and'j$
this js my greatest amusement in Paris. Poor Corneille • is .sp 3 liippy?f
about it: lie assures me that it has given hinia hew- lease of life; -and lict4i
means to write one snore before he dies. I :..wish ’ ;I
happiness of taking you to see.it, but I fear, the war will last, longer
Corneille’s life. * * < ir )iv

Monsieur showed me a letter from the Prince of Orange today, withH
news of his marriage, which, took place last Sunday dr. .the . Su'iii^y $
before. I wish the King of England and the iDuke' of .ydfk’vwdmd';^:
persuade die new bridegroom to consider making peace. It seemi.^o‘iiie'C;
that if only one could see die beginnings of a peace, die rest (Viiom^vf
surely follow. rV ’ ; '

William of Orange had married his cousin, -Mary - of Ydfk^/mi^hfer^ v^
of die future James II of England. France, at war lvith . William’ bid at |.Vj'
pains to keep on friendly terms with England, viewed-this match >y*t&j!£&i:
misgivings. •:> ;■ ,

St Germain 11 January 1678 As New Year’s day
Germany today , 1 1 hope it is not too late to wish you; a r .happy,!pM'cettiiy,'
and joyous New Year and a long, .healthy lifel . For m^^ff y/islffijr :; '
peace so that I may once again have the happiness.pf waiting on ybdj / ,
Itseems so strange that I haven’t seen you once irr the last sixycarsv',.!

; There is a great deal of talk about die Prince of Orange’s Wedding, vl:
Sind among other things it is said that he went to bed ip- woolirii drawers t-
;:oh-his wedding night. When the King of , England {suggested that -he J;
plight care to take them of£ he replied that.rib6e‘he^d;Kis i ywfe'wo'W^
'have to live together, for a long time she woMd have to g^f used .fo his,
i habits;, lie was accustomed . to wearing his > woollens, -ind , fed .

: fohddn. pf changing now. And instead pfliavmg supper watli the English.^
> rdyal family ' he;- {went to eat in -die town, and kept' the-; King .'im 3 ''th^
••brid^^jM'-kadjbe^^ufc^b^-ja^the-tbnd^foh^petfi^y^itihgf'am^l’V:-
.after hiidiught;: ; W'heh -the' King asked; bm'rwhar-'Mdkept him.fo'fong,^ ■
" he replied ,'&at hp.had. b eeh'-gambling after, supper,', tlire^y himself 'info;.;;
;a plriir and had’ Ids; valet midfess'hhfr dicn and . there, i any nbti'ur|in?ed
■■■■■ , z In Germany die Julian calendar Was in use.until 1700. .

Madame with her children, Eliubcih Charlotte and Philippe be tore he was breeched
School ot Pierre Mignard

Letters from Luebtte 33

tint the princess 15 struck, dumb at such manners It reminds me of die
comedy ofthc husband ofdie shrewish Kate

St Gertttjnt 1 July 1 67$ You arc quite right in thinking duel ana as
German as c\er It is very true, and I expect l shall remain die same
Lisdotte as long as 1 live Now 1 am going tiding with die King He
really is a dear, good man and I do lovu lum t but my aunt and unde
wiU always take precedence in my heart

St Germain 34 July 167$ I have received all your letters safely, but
e\ en if die)' had fallen into the lunds of a stranger no one would have
thought yon foolish your reputation for intelligence is far too great.
Also, people here are not all diat prudish, but talk openly enough about
alt sorts of natural functions I know a galanr, whose name I must not
mention, who always accompanies his mistress to her close-stool, when
she has finished he takes the scat, while they chat to each other And
another couple of my acquaintance always announce when either of
them needs purging I have heard this with mv own. cars How the
French would laugh if Germans went on like that but when they do it
themselves it is considered perfectly polite

Frau von Harlinc

St Cloud 20 August 1 678 Here is die promised little box that cages my
bear-rat-monkey-face Fortran-punters always want to make one
prettier than one really 15, so they have made me fatter than £ am
It is not my fault if it isn’t very like, m order to oblige you I sat soil
fora whole afternoon winch was not very amusing

Semite

Pans 14 November 1678 I am flattered that you say I am better-
looking than the portrait which I sent to Frau von Hailing But you
haven’t seen me for seven years — perhaps you would think just die
opposite now

Here cvjfrois' Aicmsectsr&oea YeesstBet ww& the trest* efut&cxe Apni
we ate to t- a\cl to Flanders, from there to Lorraine and from. Lorraine
to Alsace I hope we shall also to go Strasbourg and see the Elector and
my brother and his wife Do take a little tnp there, it would be such a
splendid rmdez-vous I think that if it realty happened I should die of
happiness You would then be able- to sec that we alt do our hair like
Mademoiselles de Valence tt Montargts * All Frenchwomen, except
, Recent viators to Huen cr
C

34 Letters from Liselo tte

those who don’t bother about their looks at all, wear their hair like
that. How you would laugh if you saw me with my touffettes a la
ditide.

Paris 3 February 1679 They are so stinkingly conceited here, so haughty
and so arrogant, it is quite beyond description. Monsieur imagines
that there can be no comparison between himself and any Elector. I
have tried to find out if you are to have afmitenil, but no, it is not to be
thought of So I shall tell you my plan. You must come incognito to
some town in Flanders and let me know where you are lodged. I shall
then pretend to visit the house and lock myself up with you and my
uncle, and be nothing but the old Liselotte, entirely at your service, as
I always am and shall remain until death.

The rendez-vous in Flanders came to nothing, but Sophie visited
Versailles for the wedding of Liselotte’s elder stepdaughter, Maric-
Louise, to the King of Spain. As she travelled incognito, there were no
problems regarding seating or precedence.

Staying with the Orleans at St Cloud, she found her niece ‘the most
fortunate woman in the world, happy in the love of her family, the
respect of all the Court and the friendship of the King’. Liselotte was
delighted that the French royal family greatly took to her beloved
aunt, especially Monsieur, who was very much impressed with the
way in. which she helped to arrange a ribbon on bis wedding-hat that
liad been giving trouble. There was only one small contretemps:
Sophie’s parting gift from the King. Such gifts were bestowed on
visiting foreigners as evidence of the royal French magnificence, but in
this case Monsieur was so shocked at the sight of ‘la petite bolfc des vilains
diamante that he took them straight back to Iris brother. They were
promptly exchanged.

St Germain 1 November 167$ This is a good opportunity to send you
the diamond studs from the King. Monsieur is inconsolable not to be
able to show you in person how they should be worn on the dress or
sleeves, but he has already conferred with Mme dc Mecklenburg, 1 who
is to send you a paper pattern. Then my uncle will ask you, I hope,
what you want with that rubbish, a question I should often like to ask
'Monsieur if I dared.

1 Duchesse de Meeklenburg-Sckwcrin, a visitor to the Court.

Letietijrom Lisetche

2 $

St Child 24 September 1680 My eyes arc so sore from weeping that I "
cut hardly see. But though I have die greatest difficulty in writing, I
can't let our prince* go without a letter for you. Now that I Iiave the
cluncc to speak openly I can say that, while your loss may be as great as
mine, you are more fortunate than I am because you don’t have to live
with the very people who are respomi b!e for the Elector’s d cath through
the grief they caused him. You said in your last letter bow pleased you
were thael was near the King, whom I like so much. "Well, I admit that
l did love him very dearly and have always been happy to be with
htm, but tlut was before he started persecuting papa. I can assure you
that since then t have found it very lurd indeed, and shall do as long as
I live. I wish to heaven I could accompany the prince; I would rather
weep with you than look at all those smiling faces here, which only
help, {fit were possible, ro increase my sorrow,

Liselottc’s father had died in August, distracted to the end by the
high-hmdc J behaviour of the French commissioners who, as members
of one of Louis’ Reunion Chambers — set up after the Treaty of Nij-
megen had been signed in 1678 — were m die Palatinate to examine
ancient charters with a view to French territorial claims.

Shortly before his death, the Elector had asked Liselotte to intercede
with Louis on hu behalf, but the King had only responded with his
famous ‘Jc vena? 'Nothing/ she wrote, 'was less cheering. A downright
’Wi” was far better, as never m tus life dnl he accord anything after
*Jef errat'.*

St Germain st December 16S0 I am afraid that Papa died of grief and
disappointment. If the great man and his ministers hadn. t tormented
him so much, he might still be with us, and f might even have seen him
once again.

Monsieur advised the Queen to make a vow on account of her son’s
health, but 1 said he would do better to suggest to the King that if he
were to make a vow of justice, return other people’s property and not
keep for himself what doesn't belong to him, ids son s health might welt
improve.

Frau vots Hariikc

Si Cloud i 0 Apr 1 l l 6 St I must just tell you that 1 have become quite
a venerable mother now. My son is m coat and breeches, he looks very
sweet. I with you could see him, be has become much more htmtau and
* George Louis of Hanover, So pine’s eldest ion, who bad been on a visit to France*

36 Letters f rom Liselotte

sensible than when ma tante was here. But my girl is die funniest child
you could ever wish to see; shechatterswithoutdra.wingbrcathandsa.ys
anything diat comes into her head. She is a real terror, I can’t think
what will become oflier.

Fontainebleau zg September 1681 It will be a long time before I shall be
able to write again, as the King is setting off post-Iiaste tomorrow to the
occupation o£ Strasbourg. The Queen, Mm.e la Dauphine 1 and I are
going to follow in short stages to Nancy, where wc are to stay. Adieu,
my dearest Prau von Harling. I must go and pack.

On September 30th Strasbourg had been occupied by French forces in
peacetime. Normally, Liselotte enjoyed travelling with the King, but
on this occasion she could not restrain her tears. It had been in Strasbourg
that she had parted from her father, and now she was riding through the
city in the -royal carriage opposite die man she thought responsible for
his death. But there was another reason for the deterioration of die
relationship between Madame and her brother-in-law — the ascendancy
of Mme dc Maintcnon.

Neither Liselotte nor her friend the Daupliinc, of whose entourage
Mme dc Maintcnon was now a member, had a good word to say for the .
new favourite, but in the King’s eyes she could do no wrong. Mme dc ,
Maintcnon was a lady of strong religious principles. Under her influence
the King took his own religious observances much more seriously.
People were expected to emulate him and there was strict censorship
to see that they did. Soon the courtiers were outdoing each other in die
profession of piety for which until then they had not been renowned.
The atmosphere at Court changed, and with it Lisclotte’s easy friend-
ship with her brother-in-law.

The various cliques — Liselotte calls them cabalcs — were quick to reg-
ister coolness, and Monsieur’s favourites d’Effiat and Lorraine began
scheming against her for their own advancement. Far from being ’the
happiest woman in the world’ Madame felt miserable, lonely and often
furiously angry.

Sophie

St Germain sg February 1 682 I follow my straight course in the name
of God, and should liave imagined that if I did no harm to anyone
I should be left in peace. But then I find myself attacked on all sides, and
that is so very galling that! lose what little patience I have. When there
is no one I can trust or turn to for help, no one to advise me how to
’ Marie Anile Christine "Victoire of Bavaria, who had married the Dauphin in 1680.

Lett ns from L^clotte

extricate mvsdF from tins labyrinth, then I grow mood) and bad-
tempered And ivhut I am bad-tempered my spleen swells* when it is
swollen it sends the vapours to mv head, these make me sad, and when
T am sad I £dt til This it pan of die reason for my recent sickness, but
the cause of tt all is not to he trusted to my pen, because f know for
certain that my letters are opened and read The post office do me the
honour of re-sea !mg my letters very cleverly, but die good Mme la
up! line's arc often sent in an amazing sutc, quite tom at the top
AU that glisters is not gold, and for all their vaunted liberty even their
ihvorttssemcvts arc too stiff and constrained for words Moreover,
since I’ve been here I’ve got used to seeing so much villainy that if I
ever found myself in a place where hypocrisy didn’t reign supreme, and
lies were not the order of the day, I should think 1 had found Paradise

Versailles 2t July 16$ 2 Once again 1 am as miserable as an old dog 1
really think that last year die devil must have put on human shape to
drive me out of my mind and teach me all that devilish and human
cunning is capable of In this I am now so perfectly instructed that my
masters could quite safely leave me alone Every day I hear innumer-
able calumnies with not a grain of truth m them, promises which are
never kept, and polite expressions which conceal thoughts of a very
different nature And they ask everybody why I am sad when all the
time they know m their conscience that they themselves arc the daily
and hourly cause

In an hour's umc I am going to hear an opera which is to be per-
formed in. die riding academy Mine la Duiphinc will soon play a
different hind of tune, she 11 expecting the birth of her cluld any tune
now 1 1 have no such worries, for the Inst four y ears I have been left to
live m complete chasnty, which t can tell you at this, safe opportunity.

UaBgrave Charles Louis voh Degenceld*

Versailles 23 August 16S2 Now my enemies haw persuaded Monsieur
to send my poor Th£obon J away from me, 1 really believe they will
torment die life our of me in the end She commuted no crime except
that of loving me

* The Due ik Bourgogne was bora oa 6 August 1683

* Ltsclottc's favourite stepbrother, known as Cirllutt.

* Saint-Simon says of this Udy-tn- waiting, who war married to the Comte dc
Bravron. that die was tactful and inteDiymr. and. apart from her temper and. a
fission foe gambling kindfvarted and a good friend

Sophie '

Versailles 1 2 September 1682- I should a thousand unics preFep.td' ; iiveiin>
a place ruled by evil fiends and ghosts, because God -would allow them '
no power over me. But these damne d kni ght-pharitoms of all foo solid";
flesh and bone are permitted every; ‘concxivablh'^e'kedjicss- !%; the-'
King and Monsieur. And although die Ghcvalifer has already corrupted .
the great man’s soft and said the most . dreadful things, about ;.hirh, ; ■•lie/
seems far more prosperous than people who never" leave the i Straight;
and narrow path. May God make your wish come true, and' "let Lucifef •
take liim to his kingdom soon. But since he may be frightened to go
alone, I wish him a companion for the journey: the Marquis d’Efikt,"-
who I am sure already knows the way. To judge by his' horrible vices:
and villainies, he must already be one of Lucifer’s subjects. • - V . *

1 am very fond of Mile de Theobon, and should always have, been I
very sorry to lose her, but I should not have been so extxfemely Upsetrifjt
weren’t for the following circumstances: for the last three. months my
enemies have been spreading the rumour tiiat I had a galanierie znd .that
Theobon was carrying my letters. Then they made Monsieur send'.
Theobon away quite suddenly, with orders never to see me j>r speak to',
me again as long as she lived. '

Wliat the world will make of this, I leave to your imagination: And 5
think how painful it is for me to know myself innocent and yet have to.
endure such shame ! There is more, though 1 cannot trust it to the post-
Em I shall send you the whole story by Wendt. 1

The 5,000 word letter (Lisclottc calls it a book) th at ; reached Sophie V
contained a mimnely detailed account of that autumn’s events.

The rumours of Madamc’sg<j/rt»/crfe, which supposedly concerned the
Chevalier dc Saint-Saens, were all pure invention on the part of Mbity -. ,
sieur’s favourites. When Lisclottc had learned that tliey were petitioning; >
Monsieur to take action against her by dismissing -heir faithful Ilady-iiiT -
. . waiting, shehad appealed to the King. Louis had told her .that he, ihcmght
, it. better not to interfere in his brother’s domestic affairs,: though he'wiis^ .

. sony she had been so’ unjustly accused. yi-.-i •

-;'?Outraged- she.repeatddly demanded to be allowed to retire tb Mah-^'

‘ bnissoh,' a . convent' near ' Paris . where • her. autft;'Ix5uK'e"' , H611ah3ihq : 7^ \h
v:..- sister-. of Charles Lotus and. Sophic^a Catholic convert --was •abbtss. ; : ,j
The King refused permission. ‘You are Madame, and obliged to uphold

’Junker von Wendt had been Equerry at the l’ajatine Court, and accompanied
Lisclottc to France, ■where h’c stayed for the rest of Itis life.

Let ters from Ltsefatfe 3 $>

that jwmoa You are my inter to law, anil m> friendship for you
prevents me from allow ing you to leave me for ever You are my
brother s v. ife, ami I cannot permit the sort of scandal that would harm
him m the cy cs of the w odd ’ You arc my Kang * Madame replied, 'and
rornccjucntly my master Since you wish me to suffer and be unhappy
for the rest of my life, I shall have to free it and obey ’ The King
protesting that lie did not Want her life to be a misery, promised that she
and Monsieur would be reconciled and that lus fnends w ould injure hpr
no further Not that the King wished to mislead her m all futt re differ-
ences between Monsieur and Madame, he would take Monsieur s part
In ijujttcIs between her and other people, howeicr, he would side with
her It only remained for her to give him the names of the people the dis-
liked in her household, and to trust him to double poor Thdobons
pension

The scene of reconciliation took place that very evening Hath the
King and Monsieur declared that they beheved Madame to be entirely
guiltless of any gulantent all three embraced and honour was satisfied
Lorraine d EfFiatandUisabcthdcGrancey (who was Lor rame's mistress
though Monsieur s nuntresse «i litre) remained fixtures m the Organs
household and soon redoubled their efforts to divide the couple

News of Lisclotte s difficulties soon travelled abroad 'On dtt que
Madame dtt hautenent 511 elk suit bint <jh Vn I empeuemera comme on a fait
& feue Madame Je htl dens ferlement stir ee sujet, je rous pne de me seconder,'
Sophie wrote to Caillut2 early in November

Pans 24 November 16S2 l can call God the whole Court and all my
people to witness tliat u\ all my sadness I have never let Monsieur hear
one angry word nor remonstrated with him nor ever talked about
him behind his back l have kept my own council, taken care not to say
any thing to which he could object, and, liow ever much he needled me,
I remained as silent as a mouse And how could I have blamed Monsieur
for the death of his wife when no one is more com meed, than I am chat
it was done without lm knowledge’ 1

I don't know how people can say tliat we live a cat-atid-dog life
Wc hive been extremely careful to preset! e appearances, and in any
case there was 110 quarrelling The King was our mediator, and he spoke
to bath of us about the affair, but so far as Monsieur and £ were con-
cerned we only talked of impersonal matters, as though nothing was
going on

* iiennerta 5 death has lain* * nee been attributed to natural causes. Recent research
dtowi that the died of porphyria a disease that ran in the English royal &m0>* and
caused the death of Queen Anne and the ‘madness of George 111

-Letters -jrpiHjl iselofie.

Wilhemine Ernestine 1 - of -the Palatinate ? \

Versailles 6 December 1682 There, is only an hour left - for- writing, 1 -’ ■
because tomorrow, after the King’s Mass, I am to go/liunting witlifiiin; ’•
and then it will be too late to write as it is oiiCe again -jour el'ippdriemeht:-), 1
To understand what this is, you must know that die King is hail riing
a great gallery, which will lead from his apartments to those; pf;tiie^ ':
Queen. It is not quite ready, and the King has divided off the part 'thatis
finished and painted and made it into a drawing-room. \ Every, .Mbit;-
day, Wednesday and Friday is jour d’appartement. All the ."gentlemen" of .•
the Court assemble in die King's antecliamber,.and the women meet iii •:<’
the Queen’s rooms at 6 o’clock. Then everyone goes in' procession to the
drawing-room. Next to it there is a large room, where fiddles . play .for \
those who want to dance. Then comes the King’s throne-room, ysridi:-
cvery kind of music, both played and sung. Next door in the . bed-
chamber there are three card tables, one for the King, one for- die Queen-. 'V
and one for Monsieur. Next comes a large room- — it could be called a j-
hail — with more than twenty tables covered in green velvet - with V
golden fringes, where all sorts of games can he played. Then there is .the ’ , '
great antechamber where the King’s billiard table stands, and then. a.
room with four long tables with refreshments, all kinds of things^-- -
fruit-tarts, sweetmeats, it looks just like the Christmas spread. at home.
Four more tables, just as long, are set out in the adjoining room, laden '
with, decanters and glasses and every kind of wine and liqueur. People. :
stand while they are eating and drinking in the last two rooms, and- then;
go to the rooms with the tables and disperse to play. It is unbelievable '
how many games diere are: lansquenet, backgammon, piquet, revmi,
ombre, chess, Trou Madame, Bcrlan, stinwia suminarum, every tiling, you
can. think o£ If the King or Queen comes into the room, nobody has to ;
rise. Those who don’t play, like myself and many others, wander from h-
room to room, now to die music, now to die gamblers— you. 'are 'S
allowed to go wherever you like. This goes on from six to ten, and. is ■ :
: what is cdlledjour d’appartemetit. If I could describe die splendour with'.
/ which dll. these rooms are furnished, and the amount of silver there is:
eyerytyhere, I should go bn for ever. It really is worth seeing; f

,"C. The GaUery, . upon -completion,, became the magriificciit Galerie des;’ ; -'
-.. .Glaces. Accounts -of the splendid furnishings which Madame had. not :
sufficient. time to describe were published in'the Comptes desdiatimeiitsn' • ;

; i -.Lisclotte’s sister-in-law, who had become Electress Palatine in i<58d,\vhen. Liselotte's '■ .

brother Charles succeeded his father; I

LeUas Jram Ltsclottc 41

They were very sumptuous indeed. There were sixteen massive silver
chandeliers, twenty four crystal hunts and two great silver each

with eight brandies There were silver benches and chairs, and silver
rubs on silver bases for the orange trees that stood four m a row,
between each pair of windows The curtains were of white damask
embroidered in gold with the King’s cipher The tables and vases
were of porphyry and alabaster The Afrrnire CaLirf and visiting foreign
princes spread the news of the royal magnificence at Versailles, and soon
every prince duke and elector m Europe endeav oured to model Jus own
Court on the pattern of the sun palace

SOFltJB

Chatotis 15 July t6$3 I Have seen no sign y ct of M dc Morangts, nor of
the sausages lie is to bring but ! thank you all the same They will arm e
most opportunely for my breakfast when hunting begins on our
return to Versailles

In the meantime we hear masses of amazing news There is a rumour
dnt M de Monmoudi 1 conspired against hts father and plotted to have
him assassinated also that the Turks arc so dose to Vienna that the
Emperor, from lus windows, watched die Tartars setting fire to the
villages * Tins makes me hope that all Clinstun kings, princes and
nobles will make peace amongst themselves unite to check die Turks,
and dicrcby put an end to war forever

Si Cloud t Atigiirt 1683 I ant sure you will be shocked to hear of the
sudden death of her Majest) the Queen It has affected me gready, for
in all my troubles the Queen alway s shov\ cd me the greatest friendship
in die world. So you will understand how sad I was to see her give up
the ghost before my very eyes Sbe had a fever on Monday night and
died at 3 o’clock on Friday afternoon, through the ignorance of the
doctors, who killed her as surely as if dicy had pierced her li^art with a
dagger She had an abscess under her left arm, v. hich they drove inward
by bleeding her, and finally, last Friday, they gave her an emetic,
which made die abscess burst internally She dted quite quickly and
peacefully The King is terribly sad He can’t stay here, and leaves for
Fontainebleau tomorrow, and so do we all

•Jam's, Duke of Monmouth die natural son of the future Charles It and of Lucy
Watters Llse-fott* tefen to the Eyehowe Plot

* The siege of Vienna was 10 last for two months before die Turks were defeated.
Many of Lisclotrc i editions, indud ng her Kaugrave half-brothers and her Hano-
verian conans fought for the Emperor

42 Letters from L iselotte

By tradition, the King could not remain in die presence of death, and
usually hoarded his coach before the last breath had been drawn.

Maric-Thercsc was only forty-five when she died. Forty years later,
Madame was to write to her half-sister Iarise, ‘I remember that on the
Tuesday before the Queen’s death the King gave a ffite for her by die
fountain called TAittehde. We had the finest weather in die wodd, it was
the end of July. When the Queen returned to her closet she said to
her favourite, Mmc de Visse, whom she called Philippa, “Philippa, I
have never enjoyed any f£tc as much as this. I can truthfully say that
every fete the King has ever given was a source of grief hue now I am
completely happy.” On Friday at 3 o’clock in die afternoon she was
dead. You see, Luisc, the danger of perfect contentment in this world!’

The Queen’s grief at any of the previous fetes was understandable, as
the King tended to plan diem as treats for whichever mistress he wished
to celebrate, and none of the ladies, apart from Mmc dc Maintcnon, had
ever convinced him that he was heading straight for damnation unless
he lived on better terms with his Queen. Madame says that the Queen
imagined she owed die Maintcnon the greatest debt of gratitude in. the
world, because she chased away Mmc dc Montespan. It was said that on
her death-bed the Queen slipped a ring from her own hand on to Mme
dc Maintcnon’s finger to indicate her choice of successor. The King did
in fact marry Mmc de Maintcnon shortly afterwards, but the marriage
was never made public.

Fontainebleau 29 August 1683 My troubles stem more from Monsieur
than from anyone else. His friends, my enemies to a man, have such an
influence over him that he of all people dislikes me most. When others
hate or harm me, there is always the possibility of paying them bade,
but in this case there is no revenge; whatever affects Monsieur must
affect me too. When he is angry I have to bear with his ill-humour;
when he is unhappy there is nothing he can do without hurting me too.
Ever}’ thing bad I share. Only in what is good do I have no part. When
he receives money lie spends it on his friends, my enemies; when he is
in favour he uses this condition to torment me.

If only I had some occupation, it might cheer me up a little, but my
enemies have taken good care to prevent this. I am not allowed to
talk to anyone. If I so much as ask die time. Monsieur suspects me of
sending messages and wants to know what was said. You can imagine
how that affects the respect my household has for me. If I say two words
to my children, they are cross-examined for haif-an-hour afterwards.

Fontainebleau 29 September 1683 My daughter is a reaL kmght-of-the-
rostlmg-leaves. She won’t do her lessons — only her jaw is busy, for she

Letter s from Lhelotic 4$

elms met laughs at 1 day tong She has all sons of amusing ideas tint
■would make you laugh. I must be careful not to be too familiar -with
her, for f am the only person m the world whom she respects When
Monsieur tries to scold her, she laughs m his face. She deceives tier
governess from morning ull night I don’t knots' what’s to become of
the girl, she is so terribly -mid 1 wish she and her brother could
exchange temperaments He ts intelligent too, but calm, and dignified,
just as a girl ought to be, whereas she is as rough as a bo> t think it
must he in the nature of all Lisclottes to be so wayward m childhood,
and I hope tliat in time a little lead will find its way* into the quick-
silver, and that she will grow less impulsive, just as I have since I’ve
been in France

We hear that the King of Poland* found so many cases of gold m the
Grand Vizier’s tent that his personal booty amounts to 8 millions A
good ease of ducats w ouldn’t hurt our Raugrave either

Venn ties 3 Septvmlcr 16S4 There was to Fuse been a great fCtc at
Marly , tile King had piirmcd to gne presents to all the ladies Soon
there was so much talk about it tliat every lady of any quality wanted
to be present, and round about die tune that we were to set off for
Marly such quantities of ladies arrived tliat one lurdly knew which
way to turn Sonic of them had even called on the tradespeople to find
out wlut had been bought and how much it had all cost The King was
extremely annoy cd when lie heard of it He said that people seemed to
have such exaggerated ideas of the magnificence of lus presents that
they were bound to appear insignificant by comparison He cancelled
the party, nude us gimblc for die brocades and ribbons as well as the
6m, and kept the precious stones for himself

Versailles 1 1 May 16S5 Todav the King sent lus confessor to mine, to
ask him to reprimand me on three counts. First I was too free m my
speech and had told the Dauphin tliat even jf f were to sec lum stark
naked from the soles of his feet upw ard I shouldn’t he tempted by him,
nor by in) one else 5 re*>»dlj f allowed my ladies to hive /tjtJafftf And
thirdly 1 had laughed with the Pnnccssc de Conti about hers These
three things had annoyed the King so much tliat if! hadn’t been his
sister-in-law he would have had me banished from the Court. I
admitted that the report of my conversation with the Dauphin w as quite
accurate, and added tliat 1 had lies ex thought it a crime not to feel
temptation. As for plain speaking, and what 1 might have said about
1 John Soheski, who fought (or the Emperor in die defence of Vienna.

Letters from Liselotte

'crapping 'and pissing, it -was .as-fhad

•heard. Him say hundreds of times that widiifefhe.farnjly 6 he could talk’,
about anything at all. He should have told me if hV hid ; ^h‘aft'gedliis>
mind; it was the easiest thing in the world to correct; *:'/ ■

On the second point, my -ladies and their- lover s : i;’never. meddled '
in the affairs of my household, and shouldn’t begin : witli; dies thing;"
hardest to put to rights. -But I knew such conduct to Be not without;’
precedent, and quite usual at any Court. As long ! .as - they.?; did hot '
prejudice their honour, I didn’t 'think they; did themselves or mfe' any

harm. •- ‘ V VV:-',.;;;

As for the third point, concerning his daughter : I was.nother
governess to stop her from having lovers if she wanted them; and could,
hardly be expected to weep when she told nie of her Vadyentiircs;
But MmC la Duchesse could be my witness: I never interfere; and ;ti
felt very hurt at being treated so badly by the King, as though I liad
committed some frightful crime. ‘ ..’-.'.V-

I must say, I am furious that the King should treat me likc.a chamber^.-,
maid. That may be perfectly suitable for his Maintcnon, wlio was born
to it, but not for me. - ■ V ..... ,'C • ;

Lisclotte’s brotlier, the Elector Charles, died without heirs in 1685. -
The Electorate went to a diflerent branch of the family, and .the Rau- .
graves were left homeless and penniless, Louis claimed what he regarded.

. as the Orleans inheritance on Lisclotte’s behalf: without consulting her-—: '
she thought he still regarded her as a Huguenot at heart- — he sent her. -
father’s and her brother’s wills, both of which he disputed, to die. .
Tope in Rome for arbitration. Monsieur liimsclf sent in a few claims on : ,

. his own account, but Liselotte, when she heard of this, predicted that she -
Would be dead and rotted in her grave before anything was settled. V- . ;

St Cloud. 5 May 1686 I pity . the Raugrsve cliildren from the bottom
of my pieart. I wish withaUfey.soUl that I could help them, dioughi
,'d 6 ii -t-kndw : hbW to'setabout it I don’t understand business Matters at
all} If, the inheritance question depended on me aldne, I. shpfed'sobn!
. kixow what to do. But.Im told that . I have no rights at all, .aiid tliat;
'Monsieur,- as imitre dela commundiitd, is its sole lord and master, and.^h
;use iras He pleased To fey mind this is absurd. ' ' . V.-'V V'-V J;:

' St Cloud: 18 -May. 1686 I ain’t imagine why.Brosseafe .should think'

i . : .j ft Y-. :.;.,''.';'. i .- T ; The'Hajioyeriaii political agent in Paris. - ; 'V :

tett ers from Lisefalte . 45

there vm wiy magnificent Fumturc at llcvdclbctg Except for the two
tapestries, the Julius Caesar anti the Feast of Bacchus, there can't be
much The last time I nw my mother,* she told me that it was a shame
to sec hot badly my brother’s house was appointed ; there was scarcely
a bed or a chairm the whole castle.

ftruillec 4 J«»e i6$6 I’m not surprised that the Germans find it
strange to see only Monsieur invoked in the affair of the inheritance,
but then they don t know dvat French matmgc contracts lay down that
everything due to a wife in her husband s bfetnnc belongs to both of
them, v. In eh makes the husband lord and master of her fortune

St Chtti 4 July 16S6 My son w better-looking dun his little sister
He doesn't Lack intelligence, and, while he is less lively than she is, he
is mUch more sensible He enjoys copying grown-ups, and the cere-
mony of the Order was very mudi to hu taste 3 He certainly fancied
himself making Ins r£j (tcncc It all went off with great solemnity He
doesn’t in the least resemble me as far as love for ceremonies is con-
cerned, but be assures all the world that he is less fond of them than
Monsieur

Versailles ti August 1 686 Our King is not well, it may turn out to be
the four-day fever 3 God help us if it does, for it will make him a
hundred times crosser still He imagines that be is being devout
because lie no longer sleeps with young women but his piety consists
of nothing but bcuig ill-tempered and employing spies everywhere,
who falsely accuse everyone, flatter his brother's favourites and pester
everybody The old bag, die Mavntenon, amuses herself by ruling over
the royal family She makes the King h 3 tc every member of tt except
Monsieur In order to make the latter live on good terms with her, and
do whatever site wants, she praises him in front of die King On die
other hand, the old woman fears that people might realty believe she
likes Monsieur, so as soon as he is mentioned she calls lum every horrible
name shecan dunk o f

•Hie Dowager Electm* had died m March 168$. Luclotte had seen her mother
during the royal visits Co Alsace,

■* TheDuede Chartres was now rwche old trough to attend Court functions, and
to receive the St Esprit

* The King was Suflexmg Com an anal fistula svfuvia was operated on by Fagon.
hu chief doctor In November The attempt to keep this a secret had evident!) been
WCceafiiL

4< 5

: ,I^ticrifrSin%fehiit

The Daupliine is very 'unhappy. She does- Her. please ttie%ihg;'-

but the old hag s 6 es "to it that -she Js’-dpps^tlyv'tgra^^^iaVsHci-
spends her life in boredom and eternal 'pregnancy; ThuDaiijilm feares^
about nothing in the world. He finds His pleasures’ where he Can^atid is i
becoming more and more debauched.- So' is - Monsieur,' whose only 'aiirf
in life is to render me ill-service with the King/to iRsul^tne whenever;
he can, to recommend his proteges to the King and to hiring -them-. into' '
favour. But lie never dreams of trying to furjhcf-his : cluldr^^^irtaiies;v

St Cloud lo October 1686 I had better not tell you. what' f't^ink .of
people who are so sure of their salvation that they calmly commit. any
act of wickedness in this earthly world, because on tills point 'people '
here’ are extraordinarily sensitive. I got myself into trouble . the qtlxef;
day, when I said that nowadays the devout seemed to be more Hypo-:;
critical than pious and sought to torment and plague their neighbours
instead of correcting their own faults. They rushed to Mmc dc Main-
tenon and told her that tills was wliat I had said about her, when all the
time I had only spoken ett gtniral.

Lisclottc is referring to die growing persecution of die Protestants.' The
increasingly restrictive application of the Edict of Nantes, which had
guaranteed their freedom, had led to a massive exodus from the country.
When the King had formally revoked it in 1685 , those whohadremained
in Prance were subjected to quite unbelievable atrocities in die name of
‘i«n roi, wte loi, tine foi\

Lisclottc wrote, ‘The old whore and Pcrc Lachaisc [Louis’ confessor)
convinced the King that ail die sins lie had committed widi Mme dc
Monterpan would be forgiven if he banished the Protestants, and
therein lay the road to heaven. This the poor King firmly believed,
and that is how die persecution of. the,- Protestants began.’

-.Versailles ^ January 1687 ha my next letter I- shall be able'tb reppirf ori :
itlic christening. of all tlirce ofMle Dauphin’s princes, fwhitdris to taHe;
pjace hext’Mohday^ I am to hold the Due dc Bourgogne widi , the;'
Kuig./A-igreat mauj^ diamonds ?fe being prepared for oiir hdoniin'enf, ;
Hut .with my .cold I shall probably look like a ’sh'atTpii ;carrot (by your-;
.lcaveib.y. your leave). V •

y VfVThe Dues de' Bourgbgiie,.4*Aty6u and de Berry. While baptisms; ware perfonned ;
Soon after birth; dmstenitigs were separate, ceremonies, often taking place years later.;

Letters from XJxlottc 47

Si Child 13 Af ay it&j You ask if it is true that the King lias married
Nlmc tic Main tenon, hut l tcalfy cannot say few people doubt it,
although I find it hard to believe so long as there lias, been no official
announcement And when I six what marriages lie re are usually like, 1
feel that if they were married their love would hardly be as strong as
it u But pctlups secrecy adds a spice not enjoyed by people m official
wedlock,

Versailles u> June 16$ 7 It doesn’t surprise me to hear that you axe
wearing coiffures of tibbon — everyone here docs from little girls to
old ladies of eighty, the difference being that young people wear bright
colours and old ones dark shades or black. The reason I don't wear them
is that l can't bear anything on my head during the day, and at night l
find the rustling of the nbbom too noisy, I should never get any sleep,
so l hav e given this fashion a miss Neither have 1 adopted the mode of
wearing my hair scraped off the face and whitening ray cars. I can t
stand having my cars uncov erccL

These ribbon-coiffures, ks fotilattges, arc supposed to liavc taken their
name from die Duchcssc dc Fomanges, at one time the King’s mistress
She lud been one of Ma dame’s ladies (*a stupid little thing but as lovely as
an angel), who once ucd up her hair with a ribbon when it had come
t loose while she was out hunting She died aged twenty , in 1681, bur
lesfonUittjrcs survived her by tlurty years The name was first applied to
a knot of nbbon and later to the tall wired constructions worn to the
front of die head

St Clo id t October 1687 The Court is becoming so tedious, it is hardly
to be endured The Kuig thinks he is being pious when he arranges for
everyone to be eternally bored and pestered J cannot describe how his
son's wife is tormented by the old frigs w ho surround her
It is a miserable thing when, people may no longer follow their own
common seme but have to conform to die whims of whores and self-
interested, ptwvs..

X'nsaiUcs 13 December 1687 I thank the Lord that Carlluu and
all our other good friends are safe and cm ered widt glory 1 Everything
about this war sounds so perfectly' poetic I half c.\pcct CarlHitz’s
letters to me to be in verse, now he lias been up Mount Parnassus and
* The Raugrivcs end die Hsnoverua. princes were, in lasefotte’i word*, wipnig
the floor -with the poor Turks’

;l^^front;Li's^0hgi

Helicoru Perhaps Athens will turn hirivinto -a. .perfect; philosppliet.'.Ais..^,
Count Konigsmarck 1 is lodged in the /palace ; of Achilles,; I "qcpcctx:
Garllutz is. staying in. Theseus’s. If he found any of Medea's did '.books ;’ ; -
there, he could learn from them how to travel ' in'. the aif, arid'! slipiild,;'/;!
have hopes of seeing him here on a flying visit and. hearing himHell of | V
the wonders he has seen. . - v.\i S J ,

Versailles 26 January 1 <$8 8 The descriptions of die devoumes's. at .Cdhft iif
are exaggerated; certainly diamond crosses are being ’worn^but for' the*;
purpose of adornment rather than piety. No one -.at " Courts iyears^a')'’
fichu. The coiffures grow taller and taller every day. The Khig told uij^
at dinner today that a fellow by the name of Allart, who -used'^ td'.ctdv;,*
people’s hair here, has dressed all the ladies of London so till! thaf ihey.v :!
can’t get into their sedan-chairs, and have been obliged to have: thetp -:
heightened in order to follow die French fashion. -j '.L/h* S

St Cloud April 1688 Frau von Harling and her husbandlxaveaslcedine:^
to send them dieir nephew, and I don’t want to miss • diis safedppprf ^
tunity to open my heart and tell you my troubles, wlflclli;cpmd'riMfL
en trust to the ordinary post - : ■- - i

I must confess to my dearest aunt that for some time I have Heen-v’ery 1 ;:
low, though I try to show it as little as possible. I .have 'been'toldfin,^
confidence, the real reason why die King is treating die CheVaUer.-de-i?
Lorraine and the Marquis d’Effiat so kindly, it- is . bccause.dity-.haye- '.■!
undertaken to persuade Monsieur to.pedtion the King to arrange mar^y
iriages between his MontespaU children and mine: my daughter’s, with ; ^
the crippled Due du Maine and my soil’s with Mile de Blois. Eyen if -
the Due du Maine were.a proper prince and not a child bom of doubled.;
• adultery; I- shouldn’t want him for a soii-hi-law, nor his sister for ,a ^-
.daugh ter-iri-la w. . He is hideously ugly* lame mdfiill of bad qualifies, lus' i 7
character, is vile and- he is as mean as the devil . £r ,

, ; His 'sister’s disposition may .be better, but she is' too sicklyaiiH' her- £
eyes .are so blearj^.that she is bound to.gd.blind inthe end. Worst df'afi/j’v
^diey are bddi, ai I.said, bastards of a. double adultery, and the children.
dfthcihbst'dWlmd'de^raratewomanonrarth. ’ ",

; :l : The- Maintcrtbn' quite .sides with . thcMontcspahln the affair, be^..:
;caitse she has/hrought Up both these bastards arid loves the limping lad rt;

s.tl nigh li v, -ere her own child. V- '-.n

«• : .-Wdrst of all, j can’t say a word of ahy of this to Monsieur because pf:.7
•ius 'chirniing habitfof carrying -everything, .much ' ex agg erated) ; to;, the ' 0
rUJ;’" Carl von KonigsmarcK, brother of die faihous PHiHp.'.y. 'V.'. : •;? ;

Left: Madanie’s brother, die Elector.
Charles. Engraving by U. Kraus
showing Heidelberg Castle before
its destruction. ' ■

Below: Heidelberg Castle ill ruins.
Engraving by C. Willmore after
the drawing of C. Stanfield.

Letters fro m Ltselotfe 49

Kui" and getting me into a hundred scrapes I am in die greatest dis-
tress and lurdly know where to turn And I can’t stop tormenting
myself, every tune I see those bastards my blood boils
D’Efim u said to have the promise of a dukedom and the Chevalier
of a large sum of money In the meantime they are raised to the skies
with a hundred kindnesses, whereas I am treated very badly indeed. It
seems a positive fat. out that I am allowed to live at all
Now that I have lost all my family, who could be closer to me m the
world than you and my poor children? To sec them sacrificed to the
grandeur of my enemies is worse tlian anything else Perhaps I shall be
exiled over tilts (or jf Monsieur discusses it with me I shall certainly
tell him my opinion, which he will then repeat to the King in his
usual manner, as well as to his favourites, who will twist it to their own
advantage when they pass it on And should the King himself astonish
me by mentioning this affair, I would tell him quite fraitlAy that lam
opposed to it, and that is certain to make lum angry, however respect-
fully I may put it I haven’t been able to discover whether or not die
King Las married his Maintenon. A number of people say she is his
wife and that the Archbishop of Pans united them m the presence of
the King’s confessor and the Mamtcuon’s brother Olliers say no, it
isn’t true, u is quite impossible to get to die bottom of it What is very'
sure is that he never felt such a passion for any mistress as he docs for this
one To see them together is something to marvel at for not a quarter-
t>f-an-hour passes without h» whispering into her car or talking to her
in secret, though he has already spent the entire day with her

Parts 24 May t€S$ I hardly know •whether to send you my condo-
lences or my congratulations on the occasion of die dcathof theTJector
of Brandenburg * I am aware that you knew lum and that lie was a
close kinsman of yours, but I can't believe you arc inconsolable to
know that your daughter is now an Electress So l shall offer y ou my
compliments like the Comte de Gramont Veits tite ps mocz enure He
fin ds dus a fitting compliment for any occasion

FortdwcbtfW 8 October 1688 On Saturday v\ e went boar-hunting with
die King At die time l was very anxious about my daughter We had
just received news that she was ill again. I had begged Monsieur four
I times ro let me go to Pans to help look after the poor child but he didn’t
want me to, and all because of the cobale The Granccy, who always
1 The Great Elector -wai succeeded by Ins son Frederick, who hid married Sophie
Charlotte

Letters from Lisclotte

interferes in everything, wanted me to employ a doctor whom I „
refused to accept on her recommendation. But so that Monsieur ma y
appoint him after all, they have summoned him to my daughter. And
now, when my doctor says white the other one says black, and die poor
child suffers accordingly. If I were in Paris I should find out which
treatment would do her the most good and follow it quite impartially,
and this is precisely why they have persuaded Monsieur not to let me
go. Now I am forced to see my only daughter sacrificed to the interests
of the cabale. I couldn’t contain myself, and said a few words on the
subject to Monsieur, who was highly offended, and now I can do
nothing but recommend my poor child to the Almighty.

It is only too true that my children respect no one but me. Monsieur
never takes die trouble to speak to them; their tutor and governess are
the silliest, most stupid people in die world, and the children, who arc,
thank heaven, quite intelligent, can’t help laughing at them. It falls to
me to tell them what they may or may not do. Consequendy they
respect me, yet they love me too because they are quite sensible enough ..
to see that what I say is for their own good. I seldom scold them, but
when it is necessary I really let them have it, and this makes all the more
impression. If they follow my advice they won’t go far wrong, in
spite of all the bad examples they constantly have before their eyes, poor
children. But this is a text best passed over in silence.

The wrangles about die Orleans inheritance had continued over the last
three years and, ostensibly to protect Liselotte’s interests, French troops
were sent into the Palatinate in the autumn of 1688. There, under
General Mclac, they embarked on the systematic destruction of that
country, as part of Louvois’ plan to safeguard France from the east.

During this ‘Orleans campaign', prelude to the War of the League of
Augsburg, Heidelberg Castle was destroyed. It was never rebuilt. Sophie
wrote, ‘Only the great tun has remained intact. There the Elector can
now play at being Diogenes. 1

Fontainebleau 10 November 1688 Every day I have to listen to their
plans for the bombardment of Mannheim, which the Elector, my
father, rebuilt with such care. It makes my heart bleed. And then they
are highly offended. During die ten days that I was ill in Paris the King
didn’t once send to ask after me, and when I wrote he didn’t even
reply. As I was curious to know what lay behind this, I had discreet
enquiries made on my return here, and learned that the King was angry
widi me because of a conversation I had had with the Due de Mon-

Letters from Lisektte 51

turner l’U tell you how it went M dc Montausicr came up to me at
Mmt li Dauphme’s and said ‘Madame, M le Dauphin, is ■your cham-
pion, he is going to conquer your lands and properties for you * At
first I said nothing, bat v\ hen he went on, ‘You seem to be taking this
vety coolly’, I answered, ‘Monsieur, that is true You are speaking of
the matter I least want to hear, which is that my name u being used
for the ruin of my homeland Far from being pleased, l ant very angry .
1 am not skilled in the art of dissembling, but I am well able to keep
silent, and if I am not to speak my mind it would be better not to make
me speak at all ’ Apparently this offended the old man He passed it on
to others, who repeated it to the King, who has taken it m very bad
part.

Versailles 20 March 1689 \ had scarcely begun to recover from the
shock of poor Carllutz’s death' when the homble, wretched sufferings
of the poor Palatinate began Wliat distresses me most is that the poor
people ate plunged into their utter misery in my name And when 1
weep they think it fort tnamats, but if they were to kill me for it
I couldn’t stop grieving over being, so to speak, the cause of my coun-
try’s ruin, and seeing all my father’s work and trouble undone at one
blow Indeed, l am so filled with horror at all the destruction there that
every night, as 1 fall asleep I seem to find myself m Mannheim or
Heidelberg gazing at all the devastation Then 1 wake with a start, and
can’t get to sleep again for at lease two hours I can't get out of my
mind what it used to be like in my day, what lias become of it, what
indeed has become of me, and this makes me weep bitterly

Versailles 14 April 1689 Although I wish the present Palatine Elector 3
no iff, 1 am not grieving on his accosme What hurts me most is that die
poor Palatines were so deceived in my name The poor, guileless
people, prompted by their affection for the late Elector my father,
thought dm the best thing they could do was to submit with a good
^racc- They believed that they would then become my subjects, and
live, more prosperously under me than under their present Elector
because 1 have the blood of their former rulers m my veins And now
they find themselves not only disappointed in their hopes, wretchedly
repaid for their loyalty, but plunged mto infinite misery and despair
1 simply cannot stomach it The verv people who are the cause of my

* Carllutt had died of a fever at the siege of Negro ponte He was thirty

» Prircc William cf P&tz-Neulrorg who had succeeded Eucfotte’i brother
The Pfak-Nevbur£i were Catholics

5Z - ' . . Letters from L iselpite]

country’s rain torment and persecute itie to such .a degree thatnot'a',
single day passes without some new unpleasantness.-. And these are the
people with whom I must-spend the rest of my life. If only they; said .
what they wanted, I expect, one could act accordingly, but they- say
notliing and everything one does is wrong. ■

There is another thing that I’ve noticed. Whenever the King fears-
that Monsieur might be angry with him, as’ for instance when -the
bastards 1 are given great governorships and he nothing, whenhe-is,
about to refuse a request, or when, as at present, the King beeps Mon-;
sieur sitting at home without entrusting him with a single command,'
then the King flatters Lorraine and all Monsieur’s other favourites;
and he, loving them and hating me, is content and asks for nothing
more.

Here is a little dictum that I heard today. It will amuse you more than
my lamentations. Lc prince d’Orange gotiverne tout/le cardinal deFursieti-
berg brouille tout ] lc roi de France demande tout / lc page refuse tout] l’AUeiiidgrie
s' oppose it tout]les Jesuitcs se m 6 lent de tout. I Si Dieu nc met ordre a tout/le
(liable emportera tout.

We are told here that the women of a small county in Ireland have
revolted against King James and taken up arms for the Prince of
Orange. It must be for the honour and glory alone, for no one can say
lie has any kindness for their sex — lie is believed to have very different
inclinations.

James II, deposed in 168B, had settled in France, and his daughter Mary ■
and the Prince of Orange had ascended the English throne. England was
, how at war .with .France, together with the other members of the .
League of -Augsburg. .

;; Three months after. his arrival at St Germain — ‘where he had been /■;
received by Louis like , a brother’ — James set off for Ireland, hoping to - .

, regain his kingdom. It was die first of many unsuccessful expeditions, - ‘
- ' for all the French King’s loading him with ships, frigates, troops,
Officers, services of. plate,- plain and gilt; .and Louis! .own arms fbr. his ;

• / person.. ! ..." ; ;■ 7. .*• y • ", .. •"

/•; Liselotte,- after taking her leaye of James Honthedye of his departure;
'^whites, to. Sophie^ that, though one really could not help feeling sorry for /
..; him, sint^ he .seemed goodness itself; it. was impossible to' be surprised at;. :!
'■. /'-'his fate.; The IQueen, oh the.other hand, seemed intelligent, andXiselotte
Hk 6 d,her;extremely.’ .V y, Vl-v" ' u-

Vy. -Due -dd; Maine ai>d • theGpmtc de Toulouse,- the .King's sons’ by'Mnie ‘ de

;• Mohtespan.Y ; -y-;; y. , v. ' "■ • V'.- ■■ 1 y._. ..'-'-O'- - .V-

Letters front Ltrcfotte

St Cloud 20 hfay 1 6Sg When you suggest tlut Monsieur is tltc best
man m the world it is hardly fitting for mt to disagree with you.
only admit that you haven'iseen enough Othim to he able to judge, and
that I know more about it Indeed, I know him. so perfectly by heart
tlut perhaps I know only too well what to expect- 1 see that he has quite
made up hu mind to appoint the Marquis d’Effiat as my son's governor
The Marquis it m> greatest enemy and is bound to set ra> son against
me, just as Monsieur has done up to now As for my daughter, I feat
dial this miserable war wifi prevent her from getting the electoral
Prmcc I can't give up hope, though- It would be such a comfort to
think that my lamented father's grandchild ruled m the Palatmate, and
that she would marry no limping bastard
I fear tliat our Rang rave children must be m despair at losing all they
have, and if I had any money I would most willingly send them some,
but y ou can’t imagine my poverty I only have ioo pistoles a month, l
can never give Icsi tlian one pistole for any thing, and within a week
everything is spent on flowers, fruit and postage When die King
gives me any money, and he never docs except for die New Year, I
have to use it to pay off my old debts Monsieur never gives me a
tingle penny If L want to buy the least tnflt 1 have to borrow, so it as
quite impossible for me to give presents

Sf Chut! 5 June lCSg By now I should be used to knowing diac my
poor mother-country is in flames I have heard of nodung else for so
long but every tune I learn of another place being burnt down l hear it
with pain and sorrow

Monsieur recently told me something I hadn’t heard before, which
annoy ed me extremely It seems that the King collected money from
die Palatinate m my name, and now the poor people muse dunk that I
have profited from their misery as well as being the cause of tt all It
gtiev es me bitterly I wish to God I had been given all the money that
lias been extracted from the Palatinate to do as f liked with the poor
avf. li’ii shit •jvcytw P itawKCb -nwM* -ce vsvaA'f be vbrtWftn
oft for it. But the truth is dint I liavcn’tsecn asingte penny
1 have talked to M Rebcnac 1 about the Queen of Spam's death It n
only too true, she was poisoned with raw oysters 1 Our Mine 3 a
Daiiphtne though apparently not poisoned, is growing more and more
tottery every day, and I’m frightened to death that she won't last much

1 The French envoy to Spun.

* The Queen efSpnn- Luelone’i sirp-Anighte? had died on February iadu

Letters from Liselotte

longer. In the beginning the doctors, trying to please several old -women
who shall be nameless but you can guess who, said that Mme via'
Dauphine was a hypochondriac and only imagined she was ill. So
they let the disease take such a hold that I fear there is little to he done
now. Now that she is entirely bedridden they have to admit she is ill,
but they are very ignorant and only know of purging, blood-letting
and emetics, none of which are of any use to poor Mme la Dauphine.

Versailles 26 August 1689 You know that my enemies have put it into
Monsieur’s head to make his first equerry, d’Effiat, my son’s governor . 1
Since all France knows as well as I do that this man is the most immoral
and depraved fellow in die world, I have asked Monsieur to select
someone else.

My reason is diat it doesn’t seem compatible with my son’s honour
to be regarded as d’Effiat’s mistress, for there is no greater sodomite in
the whole of France. It’s a poor debut for a young prince to start offin
life with the greatest debauchee in die world. Monsieur admitted diat
d'Effiat had been depraved and fond of boys, but said that he had cured
himself of Iris vices long since. I said that only a few years ago a good-
looking German who was staying here had excused himself from
coming to see me as often as he would have liked because d’Effiat
pestered him whenever he set foot in die Palais-Royal. So he can’t have
changed as long ago as Ins friends claim. And even supposing that he
hadn’t practised his vices for a few years, I don’t consider it is necessary
to use one’s only son to test whether or not die Herr equerry has
renounced boys. I said that Monsieur was, of course, die lord and master
of his house, and at liberty to put my son in die hands of whomever he
pleased, but that I couldn’t approve of d’Effiat as long as I lived, and I
should make this fact known.

Liselotte thought it most ominous that Mme de Maintcnon was in favour
..of the appointment and had, apparently, persuaded the King to agree to
it. She pointed out to Monsieur that Mme de Maintenon could ask for
nothing better than to see the Due de Chartres ruined so that her old
charge, the Due du Maine, might surpass him in virtue, but Monsieur
remained adamant. Then d’Effiat himself changed his mind, and Mon-
sieur sent word to Madame diat, if d’Effiat was now not appointed, it
was not because of her, but because he had declined die position.
Liselotte took some satisfaction in answering that, by paying hex this
compliment, he had spared her the trouble of thanking him, but that

, * The post was vacant through the death of the Due de ia Vieuvilic.

Letlert from Lucid te

she «« jo overjoyed that she hid difficulty m restraining hen elf from
thanking not only Monsieur but d Hast fcratsclf. Bat even then the
nutter was not finally settled

St C loud 21 September 16S9 Now for the continuation of thi 3 story I
have spoken to the King His Majesty said it was pure invention that he
wanted d’Efim to he Ins nephew’s governor, on the contrary, he had
Spent ail last year trying to dissuade Monsieur from his choice Where-
upon I humbly begged hu Myesty to find an honest man for my son
amt propose him to Monsieur, which he promised to do Since then all
has been quiet I liave found out that the King is keeping lus word, and
there is reason to hope that my son will soon have a new preceptor
God grant dm we may be given an honest man

The King appointed the Marquis d Arcy Philippe » real education,
however, was conducted by his tutor who was and remained, the
Abhf Dubois He was to nsc to tile position of planter minister in
Philippe’s regency Lisefottc liked him well enough at first but iat«
blamed him for all her son’s shortcomings and deb incites

St Claud jo October s6Sg Yesterday 1 was told something which
moved me so much that it nude me cry I heard that the poor people
of Mannheim have returned to their ruined town They have moved
mto their cellars, and live there ns though they were tn their old homes
They even hold then daily market just as if the town, were sttU standing
And whenever a Frenchman comes to Heidelberg, the poor citizens
crowd round him to ask after me Then they begin to talk of His
Grace, my late father the Elector, and of my late brother, and they
weep bitterly They have no love for die present Elector

Vasa i Her 8 February i6go I am afraid we slun*c lnve the Dauplnnc
with us much longer They arc killing her with the distress they cause
bet, and do their best to put me in a similar state But 1 am a harder
nut to crack dun Mine !a Dauphine, and the old hags will lose a good
many teeth before they polish me oft' !n order to drn e them frantic, 1
take die greatest care ofm> health The old Drab* is at least fifteen, if
not twenty', years older dun 1 am, and 1 dunk that if l am patient, and
look after myself, I shall have the pleasure ofsecmg her depart to the
next world before me

* Mnic Mainrenotl

5< 5

• Letters frpiii;Liseldife

Versailles 12 June i dpo 1 wept for six solid Hours at the fiiheral bCpoot-v?
Mrac la Dauphine, and couldn’t see out of -my eyes for: two days after^i: : '
wards. I was sad enough already over the loss of the Dbujilunei of ! i)
whom I had been so fond, but when in addition T sawouramis all
over the coffin, and die black hangings, 1 my thoughts went;tb 'the'?".’
Elector my father, my mother, my brother, everyone dear to mewhbmv.V-
I have lost, and X diought I should burst widi crying. On. the We'diies^
day after the dreadful ceremony we returned to Marly, where we' ; • .
stayed till Saturday. There, by rights, my grief should have evaporated,'
because life went on just as usual. All die rooms were foil of gamblers’ :
there was hunting in the afternoons and music in the cvemngs,butto' ,
tell the truth it made me sadder than ever. I was quite overcome by '
grief when! saw how quickly the dead were forgotten. .. /.

If only God had given me a nature as unfeeling as the Great Man’s ; .
and his brother’s ! Nothing makes them sad. Truly, it is astonishing to {
see how hard these people arc. If it were strength of character it might
be acceptable, perhaps even admirable, but it is not that at all.. They.,-:
shriek while die spectacle of death is before their eyes, but as sooi as ; ,
they are outside die door they arc all smiles, and don’t give it another
thought.

Versailles 30 July i6go As the King of England was making liis .way,/’’
back to St Germain in His carriage, he was met by one of his footmen a
hundred yards outside the palace gates with the news from Ireland'.??
He said that Marshal Schombcrg had fallen in batde, and the Prince of
Orange* had died of his wounds. Since then We liave heard .that the ?
reports of the poor Marslial’s death are quite true, but the Priiice.is
only slightly wounded. • • .

However, the pleasure that the news of his dcadi gave the canaille is '
quite impossible to describe. Two officers have already been detailed. .;,
"to put an end to die. rioting, but, in vain. For forty-eight- hours' ;die?\:
- people celebrated furiously, and did nbdiing but feast and get drunk-. - :
1 Aliy body who happened to pass was forced to join in. They lit. bbnfires, • y <
diey threw fireworksi tliey put on fancy dress, and some of them staged
a mock funeral,', iiivi ting 'passers-by. to flic. Prince of ^Orange’s btiriak;,;-
. Others' made a dummy out of straw- and wax, named it die' Prince of ' ■

-' -’iiselotte and, the late Dauphine shared the ‘colo lire of the House of Witfcd$bafch : :.

1 The Battle of the Boyne, in which William defeated James’s supporters, had been
, fought on July n th. - . . •

’ This was King William III. In France Wiliam and Mary were not yet recognised
and were stoutly referred toby their old titles.

jjetUts from Usclottc 1 57

Orange and shoe at it all night long. The Franciscans lit a great bonfire
in front of their monastery and sang and danced round it m a circle. If
I were to tell you all the foolery that took, place in Paris, I should lm e
to write a book. But what is so strange is tint our King's authority,
absolute though it is, couldn't put a stop to it, for to say it was folly was
to endanger your life.

Si Claud 20 August j 6 go You will see that the new popular songs
aren't precisely eulogies of our poor ICmg of England But they prove
that, while people here love this King and hate die Prince of Orange,
they admire the latter more than the former.

Last Thursday we had the poor King and Queen here. She was very
serious but he was quite cheerful I don't know wlut to make of die
people who praise lm intelligence so highly, I see little sign of it. 1
The more l see of this Kmg, the mote excuses I find for die Prince and
the more admirable I think he is Perhaps you will think that 'old love
never grows stale’,* but I certainly prefer an intelligence such as liis to
the other’s handsome face.

Si Cloud 33 /bigtisl x 6 go Although die great man has won many
battles, lie is stall very cross. The old hags frighten him. widi the fires of
hell in order to keep hnn for themselves and prevent him from looking
at anyone younger, and such enforced piety goes entirely agamst his
nature. It jiut makes lnm bad-tempered, and those who Iravc nothing
to do with it must pay

iVurafrteMrai/ 2a October l 6 go Now' that l know King James better, J
like him very much IlCally, lie is the best prince in tire world You
can’t help feeling sorry for him, his sighs arc quite heart-rending. He
took me on one side and cross-examined me about Ins daughter. Was
it really true that site had been so grieved by lus misfortune that she
refused to dance at The Hague v. hen the Electros* of Brandenburg was
there? Had she truly v. ruten. to you that she was glad lie had not lost his
life in Ireland? L assured lnm that it "was all very true, and this assurance
seemed to give the unhappy King a little comfort.

* After & vis*c to die English ItoyaTs at Sami Germain Lisdotw write*, 'I found die
Kmg .stupider dun ever, die Queen, on the other hand, die icvi rse-‘

' LWcite 11, of conns, referring to her mcetiag'wth WiUum when she visited her
grandmother a t The Hague, where the point lUty of a match between them had tern
liiwmncd. Further negotiations had liken place in if<56 Neither of the young people
had been avenc to the plan, but Loclcttc’s lather hid let the matter little as Wiliam's
future wai fat ftom certain

.'Letters from. Lhclotte,

Liselotte further, tells Sophie that she informed jaim« of Maiy’s : ;iih~>
happiness at knowing that her father and her husband we r e on opposite " < 1
sides. He replied that her words might indicate that she. loved him' bti t ■ .V;
her actions, proved the contrary. Liselotte stood .up .for; Mary," her ,-' • ■
goddaughter. The King heard her out in silence— and since; says'Lisd-' -:.;', i '
lotte, he was none too quick in his repartees, he often Hid well to, remain
silent. ■ ■ •'</*

Versailles z February 1691 Thank you for your New Year wishes.', /•
We arc getting more and more devout every day. There is a rumour— f :
don’t know if it’s true — that the King’s old Drab has ordered- alb the,/.'
ladies who use rouge not to do so any longer. She has been spared .the - ;
trouble of paying me that compliment. Tliis is what piety consists'of here.

Paris 29 March 1691 The widower 1 is an original. I don’t thinkhh ,
equal in callousness exists anywhere. God knows whom my. daughter,
will marry, but I don’t think they have the least intention .of helping \
him to find a new wife. I would much rather my daughter remained
Mademoiselle all her life than see her married unsuitably. She .is grow-?
ing enormously, and is almost as tall as I am. Her figure is not tqo'ba'd
and her skin is lovely, but her features are plain. She has an ugly nose, a .
large mouth, colourless eyes and a flat face, as you will see from her
portrait. . i- ( ‘

St Cloud 30 June 1691 The urchins of the Holzmarkt in Hanover must' .

. be just like the galopins here. These grubby little fellows know every- -,
tiling, even the best-kept secrets. This was how we learned that the.
King was going to besiege Mons. Whenever I hear any news I ask, ‘Is'
that what the street-urchins say?’ If the answer is ‘Yes’, then! know, it’s •

, true; but if it’s-'No’. I have my doubts, however likely it may. sound ..';, 1
As long as die old. -whore is alive, things will go badly with tne at;.,'

; Gourd. . She. detesfe-jhe,- and themore civilly I. behave towards. her .the-
•worse it gets; so’ I am never one of the chosen few who are permitted tp-.j
watdh the play at St Cyr;* which, to tell you die truth, : ,I should vastly.'";.,
prefer, to. th'emohbtoncius wail of the Saint. :■

/ ,- l ‘ The Dauphin; _

, 3 -St Gyr was/tbe convcnt-schobi fqim'dcd by Mme de Maratenon, with die help of
/the King,/for .’the educdtiott-of 'cliree hundred daughters of impoverished noblemen. / t
Xisclottc ohcclicard the -King , remark tliatithc standard of, education was sohigh/there
that heAv idled bis/own da lighters :mi gilt have had the benefit of it The, play referred"; '
; t’p/.\vas ,:Radne^.^hrt/je;/whtch : was, specially commissioned for ,St Cyr by.Mme-de- ?
/ivlairiferiqri,- following thc’success of Esthcr-thiec years earlier;- • ‘ :

Lrttcfi/fam Lncht

Versailles 22 July 1691 Taking the waters docisn’c teem to liavc done
>1 dc Louvois muck good, but no one knows whether it was the
mineral or die plain sort that did it. The doctors and surgeons who
opened him up testified that he died of a dreadful poison He was per-
fectly v ell and then, little more than a quatler-of-an-hour later, he was
dead I talked to him half-an-hour before his death. He looked so well
and his colour was so healthy that I told him die waters of Forges' must
have agreed with Iwn He politely offered to see me back to my apart-
ments, but I wouldn't allow it as the King was expecting him If 1 had
let him come he would have died here, and that would have been a
ghastly sight. Since he liad to die, I could wash it had happened three
years ago, and the poor Palatinate would have been the better for it

lousou, Louts* minister of war, died suddenly after drinking a glass
o f v. ater during a Council meeting which was being held m the apart-
ments of Ins enemy , Mine de Mamtcnon Any untimely death, how ever
natural th« cause, ltnmcdiatcl) attracted widespread speculation about
poisoning There had been the recent ease of the Queen of Spain, whose
death had been various!} ascribed to a cup of chocolate (lay Wine La
Payette), ecbptc (by Dangeau) and oysters, raw, by Liselotte Queen
Christine of Sweden was thought to have been poisoned in Rome
‘Really,’ writes Liselotte, 'tlus fashion of poisoning is becoming too
widespread The poor Infanta ofl’ortugal met her end in the same way ‘

CloitA 2j August 4 691 If M de Louvois really was poisoned, l
don't believe it was Ins sons' doing, however wicked they may be.
I‘m inclined to think that one of the doctors did it to please the old
woman, who was furious when Louvois discussed her very freely with
thfcTting on the journey to Mons The King doesn’t seem to be particu-
larly affected by Louvou death I haven’t seen him so cheerful for a
long tune as he was a very few days afterwards
I wish I could wait on you here just once before I die I’m sure you
would adnurc the new park, u*s full of avenues and fountains, and we
have the Jot chert v;en m the tvorJJ Monsicuf has JcvcJJed it hi 1}
behind the hou^c, and made a parterre and an otangene on the same
level as his closet on one side and the gallery on the other Frankly, I
prefer pur gardens to those at Versailles, they may be less magnificent,
but they’re closer at liand and have more shade

SC Cloud t NoveinWr 4651 How can. you say that to have die best
* A wutnng p 1 i« m Nonrunclf

Letters from Liselgite:

nature in the world' is a fault? If that’s a fault, wliaf is c vir'the?; If js hot !V !
that we arc tired of our good King Janies— ^only ofliis' suffering'..

Paris 27 December 1691 -I can’t imagine ' who - could- haye.'tqld; &k \ *
Elector of Brandenburg that diamond aigrcttes’ are^orn ori ’the 'hats'y
here. Nobody, young or old, wears an aigrette/ arid I’ve' never -‘sfeeri TC
anyone wear one except a dancer from the. Opera. I dm 'assure you that- /:
not a soul wears an aigrette on Iris hat, so I can’t possibly send a : p'atteih//
But if the Elector wishes to wear diamonds on Iris hat, diesbare work a '■ ■
great deal. Diamond buckles arc fastened to the feather in Cfront, 1 ' ainQ 'v
large diamonds, set in an agrafe , hold up the brim. - ‘ \ ■>&

Versailles 10 January 1692 I can scarcely see out ofmy. eyes'," for Jhave,'-
been foolish enough to cry all night , but I can’t let this Friday’s. postgo"*' -
without telling you of the horrible thing that liapperied yesterday'.-;
Monsieur came at about half-past three and said, ‘Madame,- -LhaVe; a'; /
message for you from the King which will not please you overmuch; - ‘
What he tells you is this: He, my son and I have agreed.to the marriage
of Mile dc Blois and my son, and you won’t be. such a ioolas to oppose '
it. He is expecting your answer tonight.’ You can. imagine how- this i’
upset and troubled me. But I remembered die letter 'that you . sent-inc - ’.
through Harling after I first told you about this matter, wlien you sstfd’:’/
that if tliey were determined on the marriage I should have, to subimt; ';..-
and when the King sent for me shortly after ten o’clock .thatriight and / .
asked me what I liad to say, I answered, ‘Wlien yoUr Majbsty arid.T
Monsieur command me, what can I do but obey?’ v

. The blow had fallen. D’Effiat arid Lorraine had conT^ced Moiisielir^that ; -;;;'

his son Would enjoy untold advantages by becoming die 'King’s son- //

, ih-law,, -while; die. ‘Abbd 'Dubois had worked oh ’Iris seventeciWye'arTpld.’

.charge'.- Lisclotte found -herself presented With . a fait accompli , whichfo/T;;;
^ infuriated lier that she resoundingly slapped her son’s face irfftorit of, all ;

' the Court. Later that evening Saint-Simon observed her at'thc apparteimib '-:, ;
. .••.pacing’. up.-and' doWn .foe /gdleryj- handkerchief in' hind,' looking 'like..?-' ;.:.
. Geres;aftra,diexapdbf'Prdseipine. • ; . /. '.vt'-'.Vi

: At‘ dinner, foat-'iught. the .three Orleans -ate Very little, • even -'the 'goiir- 7/ 5
ri?fKd)Mousieiir. Liselpdehrusqudy refused all the didics thatthc .King'v'/ :i
’••r offered her ^th'exquisite 'politeness. After the meal, the King’s’.bpw-tq
•/diefw^cspfeidly,lpw,buth'eraisedhiseyesbnlyt6.seeher'dcpartthfqugh ; :'v
-'.‘ .'the -door, -Towards^, which she -had ^manoeuvred herself, by :a pirquettW, ; /v
,.She r never -.got ' over' the' .Horror: of haying a.-:‘mbiisd-droppirig^ • foipa • ' : ;■/

Lesters front Ltsefolte fa

daughter u* 4 av>> but she- did, of course, have to come to tenia \vnb

tbcmevrable

Vassilies 2i rebruary 1692 You were misinformed when you were
told that l behaved childishly at the wedding I am. alas, no longer of an
age for childish behaviour f don't think I could be criticized ter my
ctmdiict then t put on the best possible face and affected a satisfaction
which, frankly, I was far from ft cling

As for my daughter-in-law, I shall liave no difficult} m getting on
with her We shan't spend enough time together in get on each other’s
nerves Our ages are so % cry different that t can leave die taskofkccping
her amused to my daughter as for me, say mg toujour and borisoir
m the mornings and evenings is soon done As for my son’s prospects, I
only hope they will be as brilliant as you have been told

Pans s March 1692 Thank God, die Due du Maine’s marriage is
settled* and tlwt weight is off my mind I think the King’s old drab
must liave heard what die people of Pans were saying, and it must have
frightened her off They said quite opvnly tint it was a shame for the
King to give his bastard daughter to a rightful prince of the line but as
my sou would bestow his rank on his wife they would, reluctantly, lee
it pass But should die old hag dare to gi\e my daughter to the Duedu
Main e they would throttle lum before the wedding and die old v. oman,
whom they still call his governess would be far from safe As soon as
she heard tins, the other marriage was announced

Versailles 13 April 1692 People talk of nodung but the King’s journey
to Flanders All the ladies are going except fot me, Monsieur vastly
prefers the company of 2 000 pistoles to mine, and who can blame him?
Tlwy arc infinitely more use to lum. Tunc was when I should liave
been annoyed ro know diat they were leaving me behind on my own
to me money, but now 1 don’t care, and it’s all the same to me whether
l m here or in Flanders My desire to be with those who make up our
Court has completely disappeared

St CfauJ ji ALry 1692 l almost begin to be afraid for my boy, for I
hear that King "William is oil the march to Namur My son n in M dc
Luxembourg's army v. hich is to attack it.

1 hope the siege won’t last too long Already the town is in a state of

* The Due du Marne liurned a daughter of die Pftoce dc Condi.

Le tte'rsfroi n' Lhelotte^

panic. Over fifty ladies of quality, -with their maids 'rntd’childreh, .haven
arrived on. foot at. the King's camp. They haye been- niade prisoners of.
war and put in a convent. Either. their opinion of theFr^displdiefs.'was;;
very high, or they were; more afraid for ;tbeir: lives
honour and their jewels, for die'poor ladies.had all their diampiidi;ivith a
them. They were taken prisoner by. soldiers out for loot: When': they-
promised thalers all roiuid they were taken, complete with bags. and.
baggage, to the King’s encampment, and not a penny was, token or a',
diamond, touched. ' .

VST *1 ? V±S 2;-tf Ue

Paris 28 June 1692 . They say that the old Rnutpumpel J: is vcry bad-;V, %
tempered in the town where her sweetheart has installed her. . I,; hope,
it will make her ill. It is a sad thing for her not.to have seen hirri for’a :
whole month. I believe the joy will be great on both sides when the .
siege ofNamur is over and they can he together again. . . ■ ’ : KH

Although the great man and the whore lodge under ; the same rbof 1 ;.
when they are travelling, they don’t sleep in the same TOom;'and.eyery-''; : ;. : 1
thing is conducted with much mystery, from which ,you;see;'that:he .:;:
hasn’t yet officially acknowledged her as his wife. But that: doesn’t'
prevent him from locking liimself up with her and keeping the entire-.'
Court, the women as well as the men, waiting outside

Paris 3 July 1 692 We heard on Thursday that the citadel ofNamur
was won. On that day, when I was driving to the Arsenal to.see spihe:
pretty Indian things in a little house there, my ladies called: from ; the.:?-
. carriage to some of the tradespeople that Namur was taken. Tlie ' '
canaille , imagining that I was driving about expressly to' .anriourice thas ; ■
.news. Crowded round my. coach and cried, ‘VIveTe roi et Madame!’.; .;‘ v v

: S(.Cloird; 7 August J 692 I must tell you of the dreadful fright l iiad last.; .;
Monday nigliu Thank God, all ended happily. At mickiightj- wHen i was, . ;
• undressed and.xeady for bed,:I suddenly heard MonsieuirV voice ni'inyfr
antechamber. : I knew, he had-’ gone . to -hed in Hs. q\TO-*rbcirns, iafrd -.;;:
. tedlized iminediatcly tliat .something ;had happened. .1 jumped put -of : ■
^^cd and.rrashed:tb;Monsietir: to see what it was. .He -was holding : an -
' opfenletfor iii jiis.Jiand and said, 'Don’t be alarmed,. Madahiefjfotir son.:':,
is. wound ed,but drily slightly. Thferehas been a gfeat,batdc : ‘ih Flafraers, 2 :. ,

■■X:.’-. fy5me <3? 'Maintepoii.- 'TKe ivtird may have ticn 'derived from ’tke.Freridi 'ryflpA,/;:,
'• the ccrih'ibr Jtbc. usclcss .splids left the ; grape-press Wlien -ah the. Hqm5-fa'as ;bc«l'J>

■extracted. y. ; •- .•

i... .? The Battle of.Steeiikitk. • - ; >■■■. . .--y.V’

Letters from Uselottc

the King’s infantry lias bcttcn tint of die Prmcc of Orange, but there
arc no details yet * You can imagine bow frightened I -was I stayed on
my balcony until three o'clock in the rooming on the look-out for a
courier from my son Messengers strived every half-hour One brought
news of the Marquis tie Bel font’s death, another reported dial M de
Luxembourg’ had been mortally wounded His mother, w ho happened
to be staying here, and his mother-in-law, Mmc de Ventadour, who
loves him like her own son, began to weep As their rooms were below
nime, I could hear them crying As well as feeling sorry for diem, I
thought how I might be getting similar news of my own son at any
moment, and spent die whole night dreading it I didn’t hear any more
until after dinner on die following day M de Labera&re, who used to
be my son's under-governor. arrived and told us that my son liad been
hit twice 1 The first shot had tom the shoulders of his coat without,
dunk God, touching him, die second shot lut lum in the arm He
extracted the bullet lumsclf, and as soon as he had been bandaged he
returned to the fighting and stayed until it was all over

I have been as polite as possible to the old RumpumpcI, who came to
Call on me, and whenever f see her f shall be as courteous as r can. But
more than that is impossible 1 simply cannot bring my self to wait in
her ante clumber as the others do, and never shall unless expressly
commanded to do so by Monsieur or the King
As for my son’s wife, I can’t complain about her, but I shall never
grow fond of her as long as I live She is the most disagreeable person m
the world, with her crooked figure and her ugly face, though she
considers herself a raving beauty in d is forever fussing about her
appearance and covering herself with ir.cnichcs
■When I see all dm and consider tliat she is nothing but a mouse-
dropping, 1 confess that I often find it hard to endure and have some
difficulty m not showing 11

St Child 14 August 3692 I am trying to find out how old the great
man's whore is Some people w ho think they are tn the know say she is
fifty-six, others make her sixty, but, alls, no older Recently, when she
War ill and frightened of dying, although she was in no danger at all,
she had prayers for her recovery said mall the churches But shewasnot

* Thu wjj a false report. The Due de Luxembourg did not die until 1695
4 Going to the wa*i 'with their charges must have been an occupational 1 sk for die
tuton of important young persons Dubois also accompanied Chanttx on many of
ha Campaign*,

64 . • '• JLeit£rsJ ro$-i^lijtt£\

mentioned by name, only as a. person of quality'impor'tifit'td die' state;:;
of which. I am not so convinced. .. : \ **> , ;

Versailles 7 December 1692 Monsieur’s new • apartments- arty r£f tayity ':
very fine. In the closet at die end he lias hung-three pictures tliat are-no' ■ 0
strangers to you: they all came from Heidelberg. There i4’ the deathof
die Virgin surrounded by the Apostles, the painting ofSamspri.ahd.dse 4
Philistines, and the picture of Prometheus with the vultures! ! feeding off:,-
liis liver. They are framed in gilt between tlic windows;; arid- all th^V
gilt, die mirrors and the pictures look very well togetherr.Tlieie arc •
five crystal cliandelicrs. When the candles are . lit in' die 'evening,
everything looks very brilliant and beautiful. Monsieur uses this, room ..
for gambling. I wish you were here to sec it— I shouldn’t be m;such'a :
hurry to get back to my own apartments then.

Versailles 1 January 1693 I can’t resist telling you of a splendid con-'.:
versation I had with Monsieur. I hope it will amuse you as muclra's Ifc
did my two cliildrcn. There were just the four of us ill niy apartments’;
after supper: Monsieur, me, my son and my daughter. Monsieur;' who "
didn’t consider us fine enough company to trouble himself; by. talking^'.
after a long silence let off a great long fart (by your leave, jbv your y
leave). He turned to me and said, ‘What was that, Madame?’ I turned -
my behind in his direction, let off in the same' tone and said,; ‘Tliat,
Monsieur’. My son said, ‘If it comes to that, I can do asweli/as Monsieur .
and Madame’, and let off a good one, too: Then we all laughed and left',
-the -.room. These are, as you see, princely conversations, and 'should,,
anyone still be sufficiently inquisitive to open my letters to' you; i'offef',
the first one who does'so this incense for the New Year.

Versailles 18 January 1693 I’m glad that our cracking cohyerVatioh
nSade you laugh!;' My son has so much wind that he can produce any-,-’
; khid of. note, .which is; why .he now plays the- flute; T^thihk.'^'t'if.he ? -
held it' against his behind instead'o? his mouth, it would sound equally, <
'musicjil.- ' . T - '• '

..Paris; 28 March.1693 :, There is one remedy.; for. a bloodshot tryewhichv
can : ncver; do any damage:' it. is to melt some sugar4caiidy.. in. a ; little':
’white. rpsewateri:\^hen. that is put into die eye;; it will' clear.. iip-in x a';
few days. V'

, y The -great: 3aian: doesn’t': sdein. to care in' die least ahotitjosing^fiis.;

T racts Jrctn Liselau 65

teeth- It was his own fault, he had them all pulled out one after the
other Now he is the first to joke about having no teeth

Versailles 28 June 2 693 I done know what took the King to Flanders,
$t 31 less wliat brought him back, but dial he has come back now I know
very well indeed He is much friendlier to me than he was before he
went though I can’t think why Mmc dc Chartres Mmc ti Duchcsse
and the Prmcesse dc Conti Iiave all returned pregnant from their
journey, so the Kmg can’t say it was a fruitless expedition.

Monsieur is bored to death at V ttry As he was m his y outh so 13 he
now, and this winter alone lie bought 200,000 guilders* worth of
commissions vrt the gunr ds-rcgi ment for die young men who liavc
amused him. For this no expense vs spared, and that is the worst of u,
otherwise t should liardly care

Cohmht 23 August 1693 War ts an ugly tiling Those who ate praised
today may be taken off b> a musket ball to-morrow I feel very fright-
cued, the two armies are so close that fra afraid they ’II engage any
time now I hope you arc right when you say that no harm comes to
those whom God protects but He hasn’t sent me any promissory notes
or letters to say that He will look after my son or anyone else dear to
me, and l can’t help worrying I do thank y ou for y our concern about
my ton He has led five charges of die cavalry of which he is the general
He was m the duck of the firing for two hours, it's a wonder he is still
alive If my son, at his age, didn’t go to war every year, he would be
utterly despised, and no one here w ould look at him.

Tonfaitielitait to Ortolvr itfjjj The old whore is a false and wicked old
devil, and it isn’t my fault tint she lutes me so bitterly l have done all
I cut to get into her good books She ts making die King cruel, wlueh
ts quite contrary to his nature In. the past, lie used to seem put out when
lus soldiers were looting, but now he adnaics, quite openly , that he
himself orders the pillaging ami sacking She has made him so tyrannical
and hard-hearted that he has no pity left.

Versailles 2 $ November j 693 My smallpox* left their mark but didn’t
alter my appearance, much to every one’s surpr sc The older I grow
the uglier 1 expect I shall be, but my humour and character can never
change. The reason they hate me here is that they think I don’t approve
of their influence on the great man Since I am v. ell known for being
* lisclouc lud contorted thu dueasc during "her early year 1 tn France

66 Letters from Li selotte

outspoken, and the only person capable of making him see the great
•wrong he is doing himself through being overfond, I liave to be kept
well away from him.

Frau von Harling

Versailles 16 December 1653 To-morrow or the day after I expect to
be a grandmother. My son’s wife is about to go into labour.' When I
write to uta tautc to-morrow, my dear Frau von Harling may be able to
learn if she has produced a ‘he’ or a ‘she*. It’s all the satiie to me,
frankly I find it impossible to take an interest either way.

Sophie

Paris 28 March l6p4 There can be no uglier, redder hands than mine
in the whole world. 'Kiss your hand’ must have come up as a compli-
ment since I left Germany; it was hardly ever used in my day . 1 The
report about me from Berlin is wrong. I have never worn a manteau
in my life. I didn’t wear black velvet at the ball, but the black cloth
dress I wear every day. I wasn’t dressed up at all, and never wear
topazes. Monsieur no longer owns any; he gave the partire he used to
have to the Queen of Spain.

Versailles 30 May 1 694 If peace doesn’t come soon i t will go miserably
here. Already conditions are indescribable, and not to be believed
unless one secs them for oneself. I really think all that scorching and
burning must have brought us bad luck, and that is why it is impossible
to profit from all the battles drat have been won and the cities that have
been conquered. You hit the nail on the head when you compare the
state of things here to cancer.

Dogs are the best people I have come across in France. I never have
less than four about me.

Liselotte was surrounded by pets, including flocks of canaries and some
parrots. 'I don’t find that parrots small, and I have any dogs’ messes
cleared away at once.’ Her dogs were usually little French spaniels. They
were with her all day, and slept on her bed at night. 'But/ she sadly
observed, ‘while a nice Utile dog can be a distraction, it can never be
a comfort.’ . r *

1 However, Monsieur often s4id, Je vans baisc ies mains', chiefly when hehad some-
thing disagreeable to add.

Letters Jtatu Lischfce 67

v Versailles 6 June J694 & Utd<s while ago I Icamt that I hat e been re-
ported to M lelteyme* by my coachman, who alleged that I held the

f state m contempt, wrote to Germany about e very thing I heard, and way
planning to make my escape 1 asked Wendt to tackle linn and find out
why he had done such a thing He said that his confessor had ordered
him to do »t r for there wa< a feeling that I was still a Huguenot
Immediately afterwards the fellow ran away.

Versailles 16 December 1694 Solut, sermon and Mass may have their
point scf for as the next world is concerned, but for ibis one they are
bitterly dreary If by experiencing little joy and great tribulation one
cams the right to go to heaven, my cam mgs should be enough to make
me a great saint

If the rumours are to be believed, our tedium wilt become greater
still, because we hear that all operas and play's are to be abolished The
Sorbonne has instructions to take the matter in hand What seems so
astonishing to me is that they concentrate on such innocent things while
-ill the vices are in full swing No one say s a single word against poison-
ing, violence and that horrible sodomy, all the clergy preach against
the poor theatre, which does nobody any harm, and where vice is
punished and virtue rev, arded It makes me furious

Versailles ip December 1694 I see that you like wearing heavy clothes
as little as I do. When I order anything new I always ask for it to be
kept light There is no pleasure in s\ diking when one is heavily dressed.
You could afford to wear heavy clothes more cisil) than I can because
you arc slim, hut I, with my large lups and {by’ vour leave) larger
behind, have enough of a job to carry myself about Velvet trimmed
with gold must be very heavy i wear my velvet plain, but then tl c>
will gi\ c one trimmed underskirts, which often weigh for coo much.

Tsrfr 2} Decetaler 1694 Thank the Lord, die theatre is to stay Tim
gttatly annoys the great man’s old liag. as she was responsible for the
proposed ban But die clergy may shnut against it from their pulpits as
much as they like; as long as there are plays, I shall conttnuc to go to
?et them When there was a sermon against the theatre a fortnight ago
and the preacher siul that it inflamed the passions the King turned to
me and remarked. ‘He doesn’t mean me— I don’t go to the theatre any
fonger He means all of you who love it and do * I said, ‘l may enjoy
die theatre, but M d’Agen isn’t referring to me — He is speaking of the
* N tcofu Gikndilcla Reytuc, roratstd of police.

.'Letters from-'Liseiotte

■ people wbosc passions are aroused there, and I only go tb b.6 entertained) V'
Tliit "is.no sinV-Tlie King was as.qinet as a' mouse, then'.-;.' . ;■'£ .{

Thc Arclibishop of Paris had warned that closing the thcarie would A- r
drive the youiig people of Paris to more obnoxious vices, But since the 1",
clergy ‘continued to denounce the theatre so violently * ‘says .Liselotttj-r '
‘thcrc are fewer actors to he found than' ever. The poor devils expect to
be’sent packing from one moment to the next, and won’t apply them-
selves to their trade,‘except for those in the King's troupe.’

Versailles 1 6 January rtfpy I can’t spend two hours in Paris without ‘‘
getting a headache and a scratchy feeling in my throat that makes me
cough. Nor do I get much sleep, for the kitchens are right under my
rooms. And then I can’t hunt there, or enjoy the plays. To begin with,
you have to drive out to get to the theatre, and, having arrived, you „■
can’t enjoy the performance because the stage is full of spectators who
stand pele-mclc with tire actors. It’s very annoying.

Then there is nothing , more boring than the evenings’ in Paris. "
Monsieur plays lansquenet at a big tabic. I’m not allowed to watch, or ,
show myself anywhere near die game, as he is superstitious and feels
diat die sight of me would bring him had luck. Nevertheless, he insists ,
on my being in. the room, and I bave the job of amusing all die old
women who don’t play.

' Here, on die other hand, I am nice and comfortable. If the weather ,
permits, Ihunt; if there is a play, I only have to go down a .few steps-
and there I am in the auditorium. There are no spectators on the stage, /
I'sce the play dans son lustre, 'andit doesn’t cost me anything. If there is'
an ajpparteiucntXfoten'to the music, and don’t have to talk to old' ladies
afterwards as I do m Paris. ! ' • \ ‘yf- :

’ Versailles 6 February 1695 Two days ago I heard of another liiean, .'
..’spiteful diing^the old whore has done. Two years ago the T)auphin ,‘
Ranted to:inh-ry. my daughter, and, mentioned this to the .old Kiinkim- .'
k(d.‘ She frtaeTc no objection) for fohr that) if she did) lie would be mbrS,.-
; j'&^y^^-(he:Kihg..o)P^mtsm30nis : instead sh£ salt for /the Princesse-
' dc CpM ! arid Her’ confid ante. Mile, de :Chom^ /She 'order ed:’them:hptK >.<
) hot to give : the Datiphui' a- infoute’s^p^ce/until 'He prphtised to- ^sntiss^ '
; any ‘such -idea- entirely ;fr6rn. ; his iriind.; Thopwo pf.diem';gaye ; Kirh lid j
;• .reshfortwo whole' itiphtlis, ■until fi«^^ve':thcin;-luk.prpDu_se):AhUj^H&;)

5 *. Marie Emiliejoiic de.Cb.oin, the Dauphin’s mistress, : ^

Letters from Liselotte

f9 '

kept it, too So you see bow much I am nt Jett to tins old -witdu She
out only tobed my ton to nutty badly, she also turned my daughter's
chances 1 really have no reason to ipare her feelings, and if she should
open this letter she will find nothing in it but the truth, and T don't cate
anyway , she can do nothing worse than she lias done already , and I
hope due for this she will go to hell and be conducted there by the
Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost

Versailles ij February j 695 You w ould nc\ cc believe how vulgar and
ill-mannered die French have become m the course of the last twelve or
dur teen years You won't find two young people of quality who know
how to he polite in word or deed There are two reasons for this die
pictj prevailing at Court and the excesses amongst die men Tor one
dung it is no longer seemly for men and women to be seen speaking
together, for another, men 110 longer wish to please anyone but each
other, and the more debauched and impertinent thev are, the more they
ate admired

It may be a great honour to sit next to the King m church, but 1
would gladly rcluitjiush it because His Majesty won’t let me sleep As
soon as I dorc ofFfic nudges me with his elbow and -wakes me up again
so that I am neither wholly asleep nor wholly awake It gives me a
headache

The next letter is addressed to the Raugcavme Luisc von D egenfeld, the
eldest ofJLisclotte’s half-sisters She was a pious spinster, given to good
works and fond of sermons but this did nothing to diminish the affec-
tion betv. ecu tii c two women hudottc regularly corresponded with Her,
covering much die same ground as when she wrote to Sopluc After the
Hectics $ death Ltuse became the chief recipient of Lisclorte's letters

Lin sb

Pans J4 May jtfpy Dancing must be out of fashion ev erywhere Here
at parties people do nothing but play tansy tenet, tliat is the game
chiefly at vigiiff at die moment. Even tlic young people don't dance
any more. I do neither die one nor the other I am much too old to
dance, and l don’t gamble for two very good reasons I haven't the
money, and I don’t enjoy it. The stakes arc enormously high, and
people behave like lunatics wlieu drey play One will bawl, another
bang the table so that the room shakes, a third blaspheme to piakc
your hair stand on end — m short, they arc like desperate ntadrr.cn, it is
frightening just to look at them.

■'Letters- from ;hise\oiU '

Tenor 1 is here with me, arid' we .talk aboutold tunesan'(3ay'idngvJtisi
difficult to enjoy the fine weather -here in; toyrifiT'driye oufe -wKeneyer l i,
can, and have been staghunting twice.' You may think! am-too-oM: tol
hunt; if so, you. are quite right. But I mucli prefer bangiridiojlbus-, to?:
being ill, and there is nothinghetter for the pain' in : my spleen diSti really ’
hard exercise. . Vl-

Sophie ' ' , . -y

Paris is May t6ffS There is more shade in the gardens nciw;- the, trees '
have shot up since you were here, and it is very pldasarit. 3 . Btit, it v is ,
impossible to enjoy walking here, there are always so' many-people
about. You can’t take a step without being watched fioni. a hundred :
windows. ■ •-/v '"VW#

If it is true that one can become a virgin again after years a/idycjirs of
sleeping alone, I must certainly be one now, for it is seventeen,. years'
since Monsieur and I have slept together: But ! wouldn’t ;likeTo;iall.
into die hands of the Tartars to liave the point proved. J

St Cloud is September 1 695 What happened at St Cyr was much worse
and rather funnier: some of the young ladies tlicrc had. fallen in love
with one another; they were caught committing all sorts of indecencies.
Mmc dc Maintcnon is supposed to liavc cried her eyes put. She had all
the relies put on display to drive out die devils of lechery. Also, she
sent for a priest to preach against lewdness, but he talked about such :
hideous tilings that none of the modest ladies could bear to listen; ihcy
all left the chiirch, but the culprits were overcome by uncontrollable
fits of the giggles.

Fontainebleau 12 October 1695 King William is spoken of in quite a
different tone now. Everywhere you hear remarks like, ‘A great man,
hs.great a king as lie deserves to be*, aiid-sooiiiYouare right when .you”:
•say that die successful bri.es get all die admiration. • ? /Cp y'$.\ T;

: •.; • Ypii .'made.me -laugh hy what you said about

lit 'is? true that; people here think of King William 'as belorigin’g' to' - tKap

:'.bfbthcrlipbdfbut they say./he.is less taken^ '.tip’- with it iiowy ,?t: : 7

;. < i 1 Ledriore von Ratlisabisloaasejt;-a'ihildlioo(l friend and a popular,' re^aiyiskprat,.;
Court ,■ " . *- , 1 j

AThe gardens of thePalajs-RoyaL'v

1 /Vxv.fes ice t< rep ‘ ft m the! rl si , ", I - the Tartars tvi c said to; rape

roldiwomen in preference- toyoung ones.- .vet-y.

L etters from Ltschtte 71

WitLuun rn had captured the citadel of Namur jn Scptctriber~the
, success to which Liselocte refers.

His wife, Queen Mary, had died in March of that year. James II
showed no signs of grief at his daughter's death, and particularly re-
quested tlut no mounting should be worn by the french Court, This
was considered very petty of him, and Llselotte could not understand
how any man could jo completely foigct his own cluld. ‘Willum, on
the other hand, showed a depth of gnef which amazed her, considering
the rumours about where Ills inclinations lay

huiSE

Versailles i j December 1 695 We don’t dress our hair so very high now,
still high hut not so high as before The headdresses are now worn
bent forward and not straight up as they used to be. It isn’t true that a
ux has been put on the coiffures, someone must have invented that talc
as a joke.

Luclottc finds this fashion, rather inconvenient, for m soon as two women
stand close to each other their headdresses ca tell and they can’t disentangle
themselves without calling a third person to their aid She and her
daughter keep getting entangled, and have many a good laugh before
they are see free again In 1716 she tells Caroline of Wales tlm the King
had luted exaggerated headdresses, and howannojed hewa* when he
talked himself hoarse saying tlie coiffures were too high, and in spite of
hu ro) al authority no one showed the least inclination to humour him.
But then some nonentity arrived from England, a woman no one had
ever heard of (Saint-Simon says it was the Duchess of Shrewsbury),
who wore her liair dressed quite fiat, and overnight all the French prin-
cesses went from, one extreme to the other.

Sophie

Versailles 26 February 1 696 If you were a Catholic and obliged to go to
church, ) ou would find it the most tedious thing in the world, for
there is never the slightest variation. You never hear anything simg
hut the vowels, only a-a-a-a-e-o-c-e-o-o-o-o-i-i-i-n it drives one out of
one’s mind from sheer impatience Eanng after the midnight Mass 15 a
Catholic custom, but when I’ve been to three Masses, lasting from ten
o’clock in the evening until one o’clock tu the morning, l*m so tired
from kneeling that I would rather go to bed than cat. Tiie ladies here
think they need to get drunk m order to enjoy themselves

73 - . . . ' Letters from Ltsehiie:

Marly 7 March - 1696 King James went to .Calais die da)' before. 'yesfer-i'; ' '
< 3 ay to embark for England with, an army.- What , will . come of' this, ;:- /■
time alone will tell. -- ■■ • ’iv

Mine de Klenck 1 came to ay goodbye to me yesterday.- She is leaving' ;
to-morrow, or Saturday at die latest. This gives me a chance to tell my
dearest (mite how things here are going. I will start with Monsieur^ jje "‘r
has only one interest: his young men, with whom he .spends entire ; .
nights eating and drinking. He gives them incredible amounts of ; .
money, no expense is too great for them. In die meantime, -the children -y
and I hardly have die barest necessities. When I need shifts or sheets, I" '-'
have to beg for them for a year and a day, while he gives ten thousand
thalers to La Carte* to buy linen in Flanders. As he realizes that I know
quite well where all the money is going, he is afraid that I may tell the •' '
King, who might then send .the boys away. Whatever I may say or do ; ‘
to make him understand that I don't care what kind of life he leads, he
refuses to believe me, and every day be gets me into fresh trouble with •
the King. Whenever there is an unpleasant rumour Monsieur tells the
King that it comes from me, and kindly adds a few lies. He himself
often admits saying all these nasty things about me. He’s forcver,settmg,
my own children against me. So that my son shan’t notice how little •
is done for him, Monsieur encourages him in his debauches, in spite of -
the fact that this makes the King angry. When I advise my sorito'be- .
have himself in order to please the King, Monsieur just laughs and
takes my Son off to Paris, where they lead such a life that it is a scaiidal.
My son’s tendencies axe good, and something could be made of hint if ;
only Monsieur didn’t corrupt him. . v ;

, Thank heaven, he doesn’t involve my daughter. in any .debauches,.’
In fact,, the girl hasn’t the slightest tendency towar dgalahteric. Monsieur, ;
however, .won’t let' me take charge of her and surrounds lief with such ;
riffraff that it is a. miracle she hasn’t gone to the bad. He talks her into
such a Hatred of everydung German that, since I am a German, she cah ?:
.hardly bear to be rniny Company. ;• -V 1 v <“\ :

jMy . son’s wife is a. beastly creature, druidc as.druiik tlrree’ or^fottr
. thhra a .week,’ Slie. hasino affection for me. When" ive are togedier ,
anywhere I fcan’t get .a word out of her; It is hUtfre .MamtenQ^’s'fe1Jfr-
■': : '.F<Jf the fest, die ; ;King prefers all his bastar 4 T daughtefs.tp:m&.:Ev;bty y
; evening;!. have ;td/watch Mme .de Chartres :disappbarom£q. the jECing’s : ’
•cl(j'set', : -wfule. K tHe^ do' ior.'is shut in front ,o£my nose. I hayefold/Monsieuf •:
. ; whatlfrimk'.pf it, but hb is .well pleased .with this state,o£afiai£s,v ; • « . ;/;vh
"'-•■.i. The. wife of the Hanoverian Chancellor. ?. .. ,!

V,?;/'’’-;- * One oEtlicyduhg mfen for whom Monsieur bad bought a conunisnahV ... • V-.y

Lcttas/rant L isefotte

, Monsieur had all the silver from the Palatinate melted down and
sold. The money has been given to his young men. New ones appear
every day. If, God forbid. Monsieur were to die today I should, from
to-morrow, be dependent on the King’s chanty for ray daily bread.
Monsieur openly declares, without making any attempt to keep it from
my daughter or roe, that he lus no time to lose now that he is getting. -
old. He intends to use lus means without stint to amuse himself to the
end, and those who survive lum will liave to look out for themselves.
He says that he is more interested in himself than in his children or roc.

X&cloBG was particularly sad that her daughter had been given such an
aversion, for everything German, because it was still her dearest wish to
see her marry into Germany ‘It u torture to me. As soon, as you men-
tion it to hex, she bursts into tears.’ Tn order diat young Liselotte’s like-
ness, at least, should be seen in Germany, Madame had commissioned a
parntrr who had just finished a portrait of Monsieur But when she sent
for her daughter’s picture the messenger returned empty-handed. He
reported that the arnst refused to start work- he hadn't yet been paid
for painting Monsieur, and suspected that Madame wouldn’t pay lum
either

Luisix

Versailles 13 March 1696 My daughter, thank heaven, is in perfect
health again, but she hasn’t grown much fatter She really has no need
to grow any more, she is quite tall enough already, lull" a head taller
than I am. and not badly nude Between ourselves her face isn’t bad,
cither. But my son is small, not good-looking, but not too bad so Ear as
his figure goes

I have now found another printer, and hope to send you. in time,
die three portraits. The man who refused to do the painting was no
more impertinent than any other Frenchman; impertinence is die
height of fashion here.

Sophie

Marly 16 May 1696 When I return to St Cloud, I shall drink your
health in Kraufcrwein,* though at St Cfond wc don't ger drunk, wc
leave that to the mouse-droppings.

To my mmd, die biggest proof of friendship is to let people live in
peace. It is a great mistake to imagine that it is possible to possess
another person's heart forever. I admit that it would be agreeable, but

3 A white wine cup w th hetfcj

' flA • . ~ • ' . , ~ „ j'. ~ Letters' from Liselottc

it caimot' be. It would be: idle- to' pretend, that itcould;- What Js very
possible; thougli- is not to plague one's wife; not to slander her'.ribt’tp
-mafcei ter disliked "by aH die, worldj not constantly to' give Her proof bf £
one’s imier-aversion even, when outwardly one puts agbod face bnut; '
and not always io make her' do Without even the barest necessities while >

- giving ;to others in abundance, even .using her own property for the / .
purpose.: =’- ' - - ; • v • \ f *

? Itis difficult to conceive how ignorant the great man is in matters of : ■-
religion., in-other subjects' he is far from simple.. It all comes from, the
fact that he has never read a word about religion, nor has he ever read- „•
the Bible, and now he believes whatever they choose to put into' his .
head. When, he had an irreligious mistress he wasn’t pious. either, but .
then he fell in love with one who talks of nothing but penitence, and he
believes every word she says. Even when she is at odds with, his con-
fessor, he prefers her opinion to Iris. He never takes the trouble to find -
but for himself what is right and what is wrong.

The sausages will not, I fear, arrive as safely as the iijkwell; they are,-: .'
far more tempting. I fear that they may be eaten by the douanc. I
should be sorry, for I’d rather eat them myself to your good health. ‘

St Cloud 20 May 1696 I confess that I lose all patience when I hear
our .great man praised in church for the persecution of the Protestants. ..

I .can’t bear to hear praised what is ill-done. On this point I have nothing ' .
.to reproach myself with, I never .praise what is not admirable. ,

Port Royal: if July 1 696 , I liope there will soon be a general peace arid
my daughter may marry the Due de Lorraine. As far as I-cain see, shii '
will be happier with him than with the Roman king, 1 and I would/say
'amen to” tile match. :'£■

Versailles 3 November 1696 I must .telLyou a- little about the, future.
Duchesse ae - Bourgogne, 2 who . at last arrived at Fpritainebleau;bni‘ . .
Monday.: ilie Kmgi Monseigneur, Monsieur arid my .son welcomed , ;
-her .at Montargis;;.:! awaited Her arrival in her apartments in Fontaine-
-bleau. WEenshe arrived I really thought! should dib , of Iaughteri there
■was such arirush -that' poor -Mme'de Nemours and : foe:iy^rechale'<3eda' '
,Mo’tte were pushed the wHole.Ierigth of die room; so. tharthey.jcanieaf '•

; its foiclcwards' and. firiidly fell "on; to ;Mine, : db- Maintenonl- If.I. hadn’t., ; ;,

The future Empcroi-Joscpli I. . • .. ■ ■ - . • * .Vr-f

;> '.^Mba6-A3iilasde;' Princess of Savoy,- -"Was" MadaihcY stefegraridcliild.'.Ar the\tiaie
bf Her;arrival iii iParis 'lo jmar'ry die King's' grandson she’syas eleven/. - -. •' -

Let ters Jt am Lwfefa 75

licU Iirr arm they w ould all have collapsed on top ofone another like a
pack of cards

The princess is not exactly tal! for her age Site has a nice little figure
like a doll, lovely blonde hair *vnd masses of it, black eyes 311 d eyebrow*,
long bcauaful hshes, smooth skm, not very white, a little nose, neither
pretty nor plain, a large mouth with thick lips in short, the true
Austrian mouth and chin She moves well her face lias a pleasant
expression and she is graceful in everything she docs She 1; serious for
her age and astonishingly diplomatic She makes little fuss of her
grandfather, liardly looks at my son or me, but as soon as she secs Mmt
dc Mamtenon she smiles and goes up to her with open arms You see
how clever jhc is already

Everyone is becoming a child again The day before yesterday we
were all playing blind man’s buff v. ith her — the Pnneesse dc Harcourt,
Mmc Vortcliartain M 1 c Dauphin, Monsieur, the Fnnee and Pnneesse
de Conn Mmc de Ventadour, two more of my ladies and me. Yester-
day we play cd *How do y ou like the company’ I wasn’t at all sorry to
tear about a little

Paris 22 November 1696 The King can think of nothing but dm child,
and Can’t bear to he patted from her, lie even sent for her while he was
in Council The girl is as artful as if she were thirty yean old There w an
envoy here from her Court, her mother’s first fcuyer, whom she must
know \ery well indeed Hut she pretends she doesn’t, liardly looks at
him and never speaks to him for fear the King might take oficncc and
thmh she is sail attached to her old country l can’t admire that, I thmk
her good nature should prevent her from suppressing her feelings, and
she ought not to be asliamcd of loving her parents and her country
People who don’t love those who brought them into the world are
hardly likely to love strangers

fhrfr zj Ni> muter i6g6 You will liavc heard all about the reception
of our little bride She has hecu given the rank of Duehesse de Bour-
S?k nigh ffee ckaesi wV ) Cir bear the none — if just .1?
prfacesse Since she will ha\ c to take precedence on ex me in the end, it
hardly signifies whether it starts this year or next, and apart from pre-
cedence 1 have never had the slightest advantage out of being the first
lady

The King’ s passion for the Mamtenon is quite incredible the whole
of Pans says that their mamage will be publicly announced as soon as
the peace is made The lady will then take her rank, and this is why I am

^LkUersfrom'Lisehi'te '<<

very happy no longer- to be the first at /Court; at -least I’ll not haVe-ird
present her chemise or gloves, and ■will have something 1 , decent !pre-X <
ceding me; , -..Vv'.

I don’t know, if the future Duchesse de. Bourgogne will -be luckier
than Mme la Daupliine,- Mme la Grande Duchesse or I> were. "When we ) :
arrived, we were all thought marvellous in turn, but they soon, tired
of us. ■ ' V ’■

However, says Liselotte, none of the three ladies ever had die advantage
of the great man’s interest and affection to the same degree, and the
little princess’s popularity might well turn out to be more lasting. ‘ What
a calculating child she is, clearly very well-instructed by her father and X
quite unlike her mother, who was always so hank and open. You can •;
see the child’s intelligence in her eyes.’ Though she is not as pretty as she , ■
seemed at first, Liselotte thinks her far less hideous than some people X
would have one believe. . . ’

Versailles ly January 1697 I take care not to talk much with, the . .
princess. She dines with the King at Marly today, so you see how well ...
she is being entertained. But she isn’t allowed to amuse herself with V
anyone but the King and Mme de Mainteuon. I expect that the plays"-
wliich are performed for her at St Cyr 1 will make lier so disgusted with ;
any other kind that she won’t be able to sit through them, once “ she
is grown-up. When she is alone with die King and Mme de Mainteiioh
they allow her to do whatever she likes; , she can behave just as sheXX
pleases. ’ . . •’_■ ’ " “• ..

Versailles 18 January 1697 Monsieur thinks only of what is best for, his
young men, and of nothing else. No one can be trusted, grooms and .
lackeys are master everywhere. Only last week. Monsieur gave away \
<106,000 [ francs. All his beautiful jewels and diamonds are.being sold
piece by' -piece. - ’ . ’ ’ , ‘ -X- \ < X.-..

.•</My soil isn’t hitich.-better than his father; except that Kefgives eyCfy-.:.;'
diiiig lie owns to fos mistress. 2 He lets himself be entirely ruled by fos-
valet;, and I -fear that Hs debauches wall’ post 'him: b»(‘ Ufe^Moiisieur X •••
'■•won't s£eak\:tq 'him /about it;; he daesii’t' want ’ to iraise': the' subjfcct .
becaitse'.ofliii. : p : ^b'blmwour r ' , '<

-i MeyiJably rdi^ous'.in.diacactcf;; ■.-< < :-V;r '■

V ■’'/• 5, ’La’;Ploren«i,' wHbm he.slidrdy afterwards removed ftomdic Op&ra and iiiscillecl; •.
in Paris iiia; sman lioiiie of.Hcr orvn. " (-/- \ . ■- ‘ -■ •; . <

loiters from Lhcfatte

Moaswux lc Dauplun takes no interest in any dung at all He spends
his ■entire time at the Pnneesse dc Conn s Tor all lus Hughing at her,
he is ruled by her as surely as his fuher >s ruled by Mine dc Maitucuon
He if in lov*. with an actress 1 whom, he brings out to Meudon for the
night During the day he looks on while work is being done in the
garden. He takes his evening meal at four o'clock in die afternoon. He
eats nothing at midday, but at four he sits down with all die gentlemen
of his househol d, spends two hours at table and that’s all he docs

Versailles 2 May 1697 I am truly sorry to hear that you have nothing
better to amuse > ourself with than my old letters 'While papa was still
alive, you won't find anything but praise for Monsieur ! didn’t wane
Hu Grace to find out die real state of affairs When you were litre
though I chdiftludc anything from you I concealed the truth from the
Elector because I heard as soon as I liad gone diat he was most dis-
tressed at my having left against my own wish out of pure obedience
to him and feeling guite certain that 1 could never be hippy here 1 hid
all my troubles for as long as I could fn die end (though I done know
how) die Elector learned the truth and gave me a good scolding for not
having told him all about it in die first place Cut when I gai c him die
reason he accepted my apology

We used to have a man here called D alined. He made microscopes
and once, ut a drop of water on the pomt of a knife, he showed me a
whole oceanfuf of sole There were long serpents m die vinegar ft
seems to me tint we know both too much and too little for our
happiness enough to want to know' more, but too little to do ui any
good

Luelottc also accurately observed that the skins of eels were thinner thin
those of other creatures as with the aid of a lens she mi able to watch
the earculitipn of their blood. ‘A fine art has been mi ented by menu of
those glasses,’ she wrote later m the month ‘I think it will make the
doctors cleverer * Many years later she asked her sister Ltusc ro find otr
jffo* f/attsockcr. the distinguished Dutch saoiust, famous 10- his work
on optical instruments ever sold any of hts glasses that make a louse
look Jo big*, an d fondly remembers the many hippy hours spent examin-
ing moth*, at various stages of their development in her old tables and the
upholstery of her carnage.

* Known « la Karon. When she visited Meudon on fist-days d.e was given nothing
but a meagre salad and scire bread filed in oil because the Daupl n considering it a
mortal ©{fence to cat meat on fist-days, intended to commit only one sin, not two*

78 '• ' ' . I^tters’jrdm-iAseldiie^-'

St Cloud, i 6 May 1697 . The day . before; yesterday I / weritrto 'Paris/-.; /■
where the poor elxild. Mile' de Chartres,? was lying deat 3 ily-ill. ijer'ehdV^
was expected at any moment. I felt greatly distressed, but whcn l sayi: ' ’
tliat her mother) without shedding a single tear, allowed, herself tb'.bd ;
served with a- collation consisting of four entries, and that her-grind- , ;
father, thinking only, of gambling, took bimselfto Seissac 1 : for the
purpose, I considered it. .foolish to grieve, alone.' Since I folind the
spectacle harrowing to watch, I climbed into my coach and returned,
.here.

Port Royal jp May 1697 The Tsar of Muscovy 3 must be a- likeable -,
fellow, though I fear that we shan’t see him here. I’ve been told that the
Muscovite envoys won’t come to France, as those who were here ten or ; . .
twelve years ago behaved in such an extraordinary fashion that, the.
King had them thrown out. This gentleman, however, seems so goqd-i
humoured that I’m sure he can’t be as bad as the others, who did ,
nothing but steal, drink, fight and misbehave themselves with animals.’- .
Still, this Tsar can’t be so very noble after all, if he is so familiar with :

. die tradespeople.

St Cloud 9 June 1697 Isn’t it an amazing idea of die Tsar’s to leave his .
realm and go flitting about the world? If German emperors or French
kings did such a thing, people would think their heads had been turned
. dirough, reading too many romances.

I wish die Tsar would take a fancy to see France, too. I should so
much like to see him and his Circassian prince. Thank you for the
stories about him. You can’t imagine how useful they have becnJ’-I}-'
.'have; to see a good many people nowadays, and when Iruiy outiof' : .':
. conversation I tell them, about the Tsar. Then they listen to me as if t J
were an oracle; and leave well satisfied with their visit)' /.-• , , : j’..

^TuisE;^ '•

.Si-Cloud 21 June 1697 Icbiildn’t answer your letter of a fortnight ago
^iuntil iiow, -because: I wasn’t skilful 1 enough in . writing. with . .my left .

; .-f ;MlIh 3c Ckartrcs/ Madame’s. eldest granddaughter) -'pulled through/ this/iliiicss ;
•";.o - wzftg‘id;.tnc'.trcs(tment prescribed by, her -father after the doctors had despaired of her.;

.- •liEx'Ilc.'riursed.her devotedly through this and a -subsequent disease; 'anddt has been' -
suggetifcd. that the, iuordin ate attachment^ between father and daughter which Was to'.-',
f becomeiiuch a scandal Had its-rodts in'thc fact that he twice sAyedherjife.'/; .{ ) y v ;
■t-,- i-A' famous Parisian gambler. . . - '< J .i

/•.'•< 's. Peter the 'Grw^-.'^.a-> ; prl™^vwt.tq*W'eicem' Europe/.'". ' - n

Leilas frcrn Lise t Pile 79

hind, and dictating to braulcm von Raths amshamcn was not much use,
her spelling is so dreadful Perhaps yon will say, dear Xausc, that this
lady’s hand couldn't be hauler to read than ttxy left-handed scrawl, and
tint may well he so, though all in all I tlunfc you will prefer to puzzle
out ttxy own writing to anyone else’s, and I’ll tell you myself what
happened

Pour weeks ago I was hunting wolves with M It Dauphin It had
been taming and the ground was very slippery We had been searching
for two hours, found nodnng, and were on the point of going to
another part of the forest* We were walking quite slowly, when
suddenly someone passed me at a gallop This gave my horse the idea
of galloping too, he reared sltpped on die wet grass and fell on his
side, and my elbow landed on a stone which dislocated die big bone m
my atm

They looked for the King’s surgeon, but he was nowhere to be
(bund. His horse had lost a shoe, and he had gone on to a village to
have it seen to Then a peasan t who happened to be passing told m that a
very clever barber lived less than tw o miles away , who was accustomed
to setting arms and legs every day When l heard how experienced he
was, I got into my caliche to go to hum On the way there I was m
great pam, but as soon as he had set my arm l felt no discomfort at
all, and came back here at a trot.

The following day, though. Monsieur arrived with surgeons who
wanted to look at my arm. {I think their interest was mixed with,
envy because the peasant had done so well ) They pretended that gang-
rene would set in unless they examined it straight away, and took off
the bandage, which shouldn't have been touched for another nine
days They moved the arm about and bandaged it up again so badly
that everything bad to be redone die next day The result is dut ray
arm ts n6w so swollen that I can’t either dose my hand or raise it to
my mouth. I could do all dus quite comfortably before those damned
surgeons took die first dressing off Yesterday the swelling started to go
down a htde, but if they had only left the barber alone 1 should have
been quite cured by now As it is, 1 shall be in die doctors* hands for at
least another month.

Sotma

St Clatd 27 June 1697 Entertaining the Tsar seems to be a very
expensive pleasure for the Elector of Brandenburg, a hundred thousand
thalers for presents alone is strong stuff Blowing one's nose with one's
hand must be die height of fashion in Moscow if die Tsar himself goes

So . i Letters from TJschtte

in for it. It mast save handkerchiefs. Thank you for the. Tsar’s pbrpfot;

It served for two evenings’- conversation

gentleman is not ugly, but he should have iiis smtamouchermpiis^^e
taken off. He would be much handsomer then, J k? *-'• iVA? =

St Cloud 8 August 1697 All Paris, the army and 'the. Cfofotfoy jMEV-V
King ’William, is considering my daughter, -but ff c^’f ''beiieyc jffi ; i?^
Even if it were true, Mme Whore would never permit it.- IMve ncycrsl
received any tiling but ill from that one, and I don’t See her- ^ disposed to, C
do anything to please me now. I can’t imagine he lias any dcSire tb r<^;£t
marry, and even if he did I don’t think Parliament would allow? -
him to take a Frenchwoman and a Catholic, so I have no illusion^::’

I never thought there would be much difficulty in .having
William recognized here, it is no more than his good right. Almbst 1 ,,-,
everyone has spoken of him as le roi Guillaume 1 for a long" dine howi'}!: ^

St Cloud 1$ August 1697 Last Monday I went to dine
at Maubuissou. We built castles in die air: I wished that: myfdaugK'tt^/
could become Queen of England, then King William coulfftake : hef'A{
with liim to The Hague, I would meet you there, and stay;, wldryph’,';/.
forever. I know quite well that nothing can ever come of it,.bUtatgms^
me such pleasure to speak of it as if it might all coine ,true.''My;
had to warn me not to shock the nuns, who were under the impression^’.';
that I had come to Maubuisson to find comfort because my - daughter ;- ;
was to marry a Huguenot.? . • • V-\: fo.

St Cloud 18 August 1697 It must have seemed like a dreaffi^- eating :at^
the, same table as the great Tsar, it sounds just like a romance to hie^arid^
to make it quite perfect he should -have’ fallen in -love ^th-'thpEl^r^SrSjj
of Brandenburg. I hope that the dancing amused you alittle/If'fhadjf-
danced with die ambassador, it would have hcen-a;vay'fuhn3'.'sigKl|f|/-
T.lpok^Uke.a pagoda, with clothes off With idy. -dnek-ihipfo Tfojlyf smdfo;
behind (by your leave, by your leave) j my broad sKouldere, large fate.
and. double^chiii l am so exactly like a’ .pagoda
. wheaieverl liapperi to pass a looking-glass. [ -- ’ 1 r \

Marty : 2 : 2.< ALugitst-' 1 69 7 Russian .^women .. can’t 1

these people bkve peycr cpmc across whalebone before. . Z

: ; -y kphc:of.tW conditions 'o£. the ‘j^ce treaty -'of Ryswidc, which was'foeh'Veing ; ;
Inigotiatedi was fberecpgtiitioiijpE'Wi.lUam III by France. - 5

R'ejigfous qohsitlayo'biis^ ^'quitd'apart, 'Wiiliatn’IIIiiid «b ifl.foiti.6ii 'of remarrying^' ..:

1 J V'-

l ' NcoU d Ury "

Letters front List (otic

It was after dancing with the well faced ladies of the Court of Branden-
burg that die Tsar remarked that 'die German ladies have dcVilish Ua*d
bones’

St Chud J5 Sep rein ter t€fy The great man and his whore art, really
vde to ray girl Ybuknow that we had a chamber faux from the Viennese
Corn t here He had been given a passport and was allowed to come and
go as he liked Among other things, he bought a good man) fine
clothes for die imperial princesses and Ins masret, but die moment after
lie lad ordered a portrait of my daughter he was turfed out of bed and
thrown into prison, where he was kept for a full twenty-four hours in
spite of die envoy of Parma’s protests As soon as lie was released he
was Sent back to Austria, so we didn’t gee a change to have the portrait
painted There you sec the whore’s duplicity, sVu. was never more
amiable to me than when she played this tuck on. my daughter

FonfcjittldMn p October 1697 1 am afraid my daughter v til have to
take die Due tie Lorraine after all 1 would prefer to see her marry the
Roman Kang because Lorraine is so very much under the thumb of die
French The only good thing about it is that she will neither remain an
old maid nor be made to many die bastard *

LUISB

Parts jo Not ember *697 My arm is better now, for I can move it
again, though my shoulder stiff acts like a barometer and a dies when-
ever it rains

You will have heard that the peace with the Umpire has been con-
cluded * There seems to be a strange curse on this peace, the news of it
was received without any joy although everyone lias wanted it for so
long Even the people of Pans weren’t pleased, dicy iud almost to be
forced to rejoice

Now w c are at peace, there is a chance that we might see each other
again. If die rumours of the past few months are true and my daughter
is really to become the Duchcssc dc Lorraine, we could easily arrange a
rcnder-vou$

Do tell me, dear Luise, wlm die D uc de Lorraine looks like and what
manner of man he is Though you remark that lie danced a lot, you
don't say whether he danced well ox if Ins bearing was good The
1 The Comic tie Touloiac had been mentioned in dm connection for the tut few
yean

* ThcTreaiy ofRyswick.

8^ Letters from Liselottc

gentleman who suggested blind-man’s bufl' cannot, I’m sure, he one of
those wicked fellows. He must be one of our sort, for these were the
sort of games we used to play in our day. Some adventures are amusing
whether or not one knows the people concerned, so keep on writing
the news.

Sophie

Paris 22 December 1697 The envoy from Lorraine has come. He goes
to Versailles today, and M lc Grand 1 tells me that he has orders to ask
for my daughter’s hand.

It is a very middling match, not grand enough to warrant great
rejoicing, on the other liand not so unreasonable as to cause any real
displeasure. As I say, it seems middling to me. I’m glad, though, that we
have given the little stinker 3 die slip. According to Luise, the Due de
Lorraine is not handsome, but short and stout with a typical Austrian
moudi.

Versailles 2 February 1698 I’m sure die insane life my son leads will
soon be the death of him, tearing about all night and never any sleep
until eight o’clock in the morning. He often looks as though he’s been
dragged out of the grave. I’m certain it will kill him in the end, but bis
fadier refuses to speak to him about it. Nothing I could say would do
any good, so I shan’t pursue the subject except to add that it is a shame
to see him so steeped in debauchery. Had he been brought up to some-
thing better and more worthwhile, he would be quite a different
person. He doesn’t lack intelligence, knows a great deal and from early
childhood has inclined to all that is good and noble. However, since lie
has become his own master so many low fellows have attached them-
selves to him, and introduced him to such very vulgar whores (by
your leave), that his face and his character arc quite changed, and he is
hardly recognizable any longer.

Leading the sort of life he does, he’s no longer interested in anything
at all; even his love of music, which used to be such a passion, has quite
-disappeared. I11 short, they have made liim utterly insufferable.

Port 'Royal 25 September 1698 We go to Fontainebleau for my
daughter’s betrotlial on the 2nd, die ceremony will take place on die
J2th, and the nuptials on the 13 th.

- 1 Louis de Lorraine, of die Guise family, a secondary branch of die House of
Lorraine,

3 The Comte de Toulouse.

Letters Jbnn Luelatfc 83

My daughter wiH receive rune times a hundred thousand francs from
Monsieur and me, and twenty thousand dialers {or her toilette from the
King who is also giving her a jwure of diamonds And Monsieur is
giving her a lot of jewellery All m alt it •will add up to sixteen, almost
seventeen, times a hundred thousand francs

Parts 1 Odobtr 1698 The Duke's wedding present to my daughter was
delivered yesterday It is extremely beautiful, and consists of diamond
eardrops which could not be lovelier , a string of pearls, not particularly
large but of* excellent whiteness and perfectly round and c\ cn, two
bracelets of fisc rows of pearls a little larger than green sugar peas
another diamond bracelet, quite perfect and two ring? My daughter's
pleasure is indescribable Following the custom here, all het clothes arc
displayed 111 Monsieur's gallery

Monsieur was m \us element, and cryoyed showing the tiousveavi to
visitors There were fifteen dresses — two of them so heavy that Luefott-
thought het daughter would never be able to wear them— -all splendidly
embroidered One of them, blade velvet bordered by golden garlands
over x foot deep and worn ov cr an underskirt of cloth of silver decor-
ated with two sorts of gold was so delicately embroidered that it looked
as though tt had b-en w orbed by a goldsmith.

The linen was tnrnmed with points it Venue, embroidered with the
bnde’s and her Duke's cl 1 ffte surmounted by crowns There was a large
chest entirely filled with ribbons and a dressing-set in. silver-gilt, made
by the famous Tosnd from the King who also presented lus mccewoh a
bed, sue armchairs and twenty -four chairs

Pans (.5 October 169$ However my daughter’s marriage may turn
out, it certainly began sadly enough When they were mamed
everyone in the chapel wept Our King the King and Queen of
Tjighnd all the princesses the denes and die courtiers even die
soldiers and the Swiss guards, the ambassadors and die ordinary people
— all of them wept bitterly Only the Dauphin didn’t shed a single
tear, he behaved as though he w« it an entertainment. The Duchcssc
de Bourgogne showed at last that she has a good heart. She couldn’t
cat a thing, and Went on weeping bitterly after she had said goodb) c to
her aunt.

I don’t dunk the Due dc Lorraine will consider m> daughter ill-
pro vided for she has twenty thousand crowns’ worth of linen, and
great quantities of laces and embroidery tt is all ver> handsome, and
fills four lnigc chests

Letters Jrom ‘Ltsehiie'.

Fontainebleau 22 October , 1698 - My; goodness,- •how.b'adly. iHey^^ref;
bringing up the Duchesse de Bourgogne . 1 t I feel; quite sorry. for Her.'
She is allowed to do whatever she likes; In the middle of .dinner -she
starts to sing, dances about on her chair, and pretends to- salute people.
She pulls frightful faces, tears dishes of chickens and ;”partridge'apaft^;‘
with her hands, sticks her fingers into the sauces, in short, no oneCoutcL
be naughtier. And the people standing behind her chair cty^- ‘Dili how' -
graceful she is, how pretty !’ She treats her father-in-law without any : '
respect and calls him ‘tu\ which enchants liim and makes him think he
is in favour. She is said to be even more familiar with the King.',. . ’■ '

Fontainebleau 25 October 1698 My daughter’s journey ; is; progressing ,'
happily. I had a letter from her today which she' wrote in- Chalons., It;',
will be a hard day for her today, because this is where she officially
leaves the King’s house and becomes a wife in earnest. She arid .‘Her
husband are to sleep together tonight. That will seem very peculiar to . '
her. Although my daughter finds her Duke attractive, she sayy sheds
feeling very apprehensive at his coming to collect her; she says she’s so. .
beside herself with fear about the night that she is all of a. tremble and',
hardly knows what she is saying. She may not be' all that wrong,, one \
hears such strange reports of our son-in-law. Apparently once, when he.
was taking a bath, the man who was washing him said, ‘Would. His ;
Grace move his arm so that I can wash His Grace?’ It turned out .tliat
it wasn’t his arm that was in the way. at all, but, by your lcave^ .quite a ;
•different thing, I am incredibly impatient to hear how the first-night
'passed. ■ •' - . ’ <;• i.-'.; ,

Fontainebleau November .1698 The Due de Lorraine seems - : very
foil d. of my daughter, and ifohly tlicir love lasts they should be happy
Ceripugh.'. ‘M(ifs • hSlas, ■ it n est, point d’Sternelles anidurs*, as; they say .hi '
OMie* ; r , / 'y

' ■ Young Liselotte was very nappy indeed, and remained in love, with' her ; v ,
: uke all her life. .Referring to' the bridegroom’s frequent, arid- ardent

, - attentions to her daughter,' Liselotte declares, ‘I shall take more-pleasure
in becoming a . grandmoth'ex oh this side thari 'oh. the other;' My son!s ;

TheXJiichesse'de Bourgogne Had been married to'theKing’s gtmdson on Decein-
Ker_7di dftHc.'prcyiotis.-ycar; shortly, after Her twclftH birthday, fror .the 'rime being,;

‘ lid-wweri die smeen^year-^ld grooni was unda- the] King’s strict instructions not to ■.
touch so much' as.her litt’e finger. ./• Vyh;/;'..;-

_•= A novel hy. MUe'cje Scudfiry..- . - ... • r

tettmfimn Lt<cfo((e $5

children* (another daughter Kid recently arrived) 'seem too much like
bssUrda tome’

Paris t6 Navewirr 169S My daughter has soon become used to her
new state, and u is reported from Nancy that the Duke is extra-
ordinarily keen on married life After the entry into the town, my
daughter avis obliged to change her clothes because her dress was so
heavy that she couldn’t stand up m it, and just as she had taken off her
skirts, along came the Duke and paid her one of his visits She’s quite
used to it by now, and doesn’t dislike dm business as much as 1 djd-
It isn’t at all surprising that Monsieur had the dressing-table things
melted down, for they were his own property But one day, although I
implorcdhim not to, hctookal! the silver il tat had come from Heidelberg,
as welt as all the silver things that used to decorate my rooms and took so
pretty, and had them melted down too He put the money into his own
pocket He hasn't left me so much as one poor little box for my bits
and pieces

Versailles 1 1 Jan tary 1 699

In Aula juhtbfioho

min sutget md sad frahoho

unsets Herzens IVoftefwune

hegt tri pr&nfiahoho

urtd feuchtct cunt die Sohohoimc

motris in grentehaho

alpha es ct ohoho

alpha es el o

If you haven’t sung this yourself. I'm sure it lias been played to you on
the trumpets and cymbals, because today is your New Year’s day I
avislty ou all the joy and happiness that you could wish yourself

The /faugravme A mafic Elisabeth von Dcgcn&id, iyjJooi Madame
called Am eli cse, was another of krselotre s half xtstew Like her elder sister
IauSc she never married, and the two ladies lived and travelled together

Ameuese

Marly € February itfptj I enjoy’ your letters very much. Do go on
writing like that quite naturally and sans/afon I can’t stand compli-
ments If only' you could write somedung to make me laugh * laughter

;Lg^cr^/fmH;LyVeto/g,

lias become rare in my life during -the last few years, 1- am .^uitegemrigV
out of tbc habit and my spleen is. none the better for : it. Do not 'think; ';
dear Ameliese, that cleverness consists m being able tp pay.coinplimaits;
The silliest people in the world-can memorize.bpmphmenb and wrjie *
them down, but to write well on ordinary : subjects "and- to . liaYe ;a;>’
readable style is far rarer than you seen! to .think, and-it as.'y6ur great' :
humility that is at fault if you think you don’t writb well; ’ -SaJ.- -if-'
Your life, as you describe it, sounds quite pleasant to me. Here one-,
soon regrets frank speaking, and that is why I live in solitude;; \r'SJ.S .[['

Luisb ■'■} ■; v! ;

Versailles 3 April 1699 Hunting is not my favourite amusement, but
the theatre is. I only go hunting now for the sake of my health, .'fori-
witliout exercise my spleen aches quite dreadfully. I remember well diat .
His Grace the Elector would never hear of us hunting, and I didn’t even
learn to ride until I came here. I must have had twenty-four or -five
falls, but that has never frightened me off.

However much I may dislike the French marriage laws, I shall have
to submit as I have been married according to them. I’U tell you some-
thing even worse, dear Luisc: it may come about that, although 1 am
credited with having a great deal of property, I may still be reduced -to.,
living on the King’s charity, for if Monsieur sguanders Ins fortune and:
mine and dies before me, I shall have no income from any source. His
appanage 1 cannot come to me. One must be a bit of a philosopher else'
I should live in constant anxiety and never know any peace at all. • - .

St Cloud 23 June 1699 Nobody talks about any thing, but the; Coun-
cillor Y. wife who had her husband murdered, and of her courage .
-When .she- went to her death. But she suffered liorriblyl ftcdcuse. the :
••.executioner 'struck five or six times before' her head came' offi. There'.,
were' such crowds of people anxious; to watch tlie: ; exccution . tliat ;
.windows were rented at fifty lopis d’Or. V;: - ■ •; .

•Sbi>in'B : -:'V \"C :

: SjClwd:25june 1699 ' Wv have this moment return ediroiif,fiie niost:
[.tedious, devotions imaginable.' We marched along, taking] riny.fteps, 1
for .two long hours oii.the Hot'pavemeht, kneeling' every. quftter?o£aiiS
[hour [for a :,quartef^of-an:-h6ur: - My knees are;so: bruised tliat/ diey re ..

Black and 'blueVbecause eve^ r 'tfrne i kneit.down I landed bii the buttons

;of myftding habit. .

:■ 1 :'lh<:WUowance ni’ade by die Kang to Ids brother and younger sons.-;-’* s-[ ;.1/[

Letters from Liscfattc 87

Marly 3 July J 69} Yesterday I called on all the favourites — first the
Pilches’ c do Bourgogne and then the Mamtenou, wliom J found in
royal state She -was sitting at table m a large armchair, M Ic Due dc
Bourbon, hn daughter and the others, who were eating with her, were
on tabourets They did me die honour of bringing me a tabouret too,
but 1 assured them dm 1 wasn’t m the least tired I lud to bite my
tongue to keep from, laughing How different from die time when the
King came to ask me to let Mme dc Scarron cat with niejust for once,
and then only to cut up die food forthe Due du Maine, who was still a
child

■When the Kang walks in die gardens here, die lady sits in 1 chair
mounted on four wheels, pulled by four men His Majesty walks
alongside like her lackey, and die others follow on. The Duchessc dc
Bourgogne walks in front, arm-in-arm with the Mam tenon's niece,
whom she calls 'sister' It seems an upside-down world to me. and I
don't like anything but the place No one could deny that Marly is
really beautiful, much lovelier than Versailles The upkeep costs the
King a good deal of money, it comes to 70000 francs There ire fine
marble statues everywhere, and more fountains than l can count

Am tn esc

St Cloud to July i6gp I hope dm you and Lime will enjoy yourselves
in Schwalbach-Spo. It is a dear, liappy place where people can live
without restrictions and without being criticized- You couldn’t find
anywhere like it in France Let the French ladies laugh at your muoceut
enjoyments if they have a mind to They know nothing of real pleasure,
you only have to see them at their twenty-four-hour-long gambling
sessions to realize how desperate they arc, like creatures possessed.

Sophie

Port Royal 19 July 1699 I asked Monsieur why I was only offered a
tabouret at the Majn ten on’s. He says no one ever has a cluir there
because the King calls so often What a splendid excuse for not allowing
anybody to liave one except the lady, who has one because of hex
health. In this way, nothing is said about her being queen or not, and at
die same time she takes that rank

St Cloud 24 July 1699 It is not a bad thin 5 to be forced to take violent
exercise occasionally, it shakes up the spleen, makes one sweat and
prevents illness Vt is impossible to get overheated on a rabbit-hunt. The
httle animals that are used for catching them are not weasels they are

88 ' . ■ - ’ , ; : fotMjtf& ipije ti

bigger and browner and have more jpomtea^c 6 s;-lIh-'lTCat&ViSey‘^ii.?
called les furets.

I can’t cat rabbit. I much prefer Eriglish food 'td 'Fren^l r-bave'nevcr-V^
been able -to get used to French cooking, and can't jipucK ;br"- ! b
bouillon. There isn’t much that I can cat here- . only -roast mu^hj-roast/^ -
chicken, roast veal, .roast beef and salad. T .once had ploversVeggs^ih";/'
Holland,. but I ate so many that I was side,' and-lVe never been'able to;.-' h
look at them since. ;.->>< ' V ,

It seems to me that knowing about the winds and -the-stars'Is 'more-'';’-
suitable for a mathematician than for a nobleman, and a\dukc at .tmt:- ■ •
In general, scholars have jio idea how to live. However learned they h :
may be in tbeir own field, when they move in society they s^eitf like, :
fools. It is not at all suitable for people of great .quality . tb. be .very'l .
learned, but highly necessary for them to know the world and-be.’ablev.;!
to deal with people, and they can’t learn that from books but only . from '
experience. " I s ' 1

Port Royal 26 July 1699 Certainly, if Monsieur were less weak and
didn’t let the worthless people lie loves and esteems so much lead him.,., V
by the nose, lie would be the best man in the world. Indeed, crycnwhen
he harms one lie is more to be pitied than detested. . f-j.j,' l ,

My son is full of good sense. I’m sure you would enjoy .his conyetsa-'. i
tioh. He knows a lot, has a good memory and expresses liiniself. well
and without pedantry. But his unind is not sufficiently iofty^.ahdthe;';,'.
. would Wher mix with common painters and musicians than /with the - '.!
rightpcoplc.

- - He, is hard at work '.oh a historical picture for you. Pamting'.ii'.the ••

‘reasbn he gives for going to Paris in the mornings, but between bur-/ ,
selvds dux cavalier. _h in love with a girl of sixteen * 1 -an dctress*wli<jm' ;
lie meets there. If he uses her face for yotir Antigone, .. she should be : ,i
.yerypfetty.- '■■■/ ■' ■ ■ Vi -i - 5

Fontainebleau’ 16., September 1699 No girl coulddiave a. rtioire sheltered: '
Upbringing; than pur 'three .princes. Every* evening at nirie o'clock, fhe : '
-,^b : yoM^r;Qn^‘afo;,^ftobed,-dffibiigh;thc r 0 ifo ; d*i^bn^ 5 i^eh - ^:
and tliedO.u'c d.e 'Berry . tlurteen, and would be -wide chough awake.if he - ..
ywere' allowed^ to .be. He ;ls /a very nlce’child; and ^ways,.nlieerfuI/.His.;,- .
. eldest bro'diet is 'intelligent bit' Jesf. 'cheerful, ’hb‘;is supposed jjo-jvoftyy'j
‘about iieing- so bamynia 3 £:.''It qmfoftt^ts''me.'The;^;uo .d’Ahjpu'is the

- 1 Not Mile Florence, who had given birth to his son-m .1698. tfcut.Mhe Charlotte ' :
'De^inareSi-iyho was';to',hcar lilni'a dau^iter iti

' Letter: from JJeebtte , , ' g<,

best-nnurcA person in the world, not very good-looking, but t think
he'll be as strong as the Kang of Poland.* No one can make hint bend
his arm or unclench Ids fist. [ ,

Let m hope that the Duchcsse'de Bourgogne, who has a pretty
figure, will pass it on to her children. She lias become much steadier
since last year, and no longer behaves like 3 child at table but quite like
a gtoivn-up. ‘ 1

Pontamebtam zy Sept anker 1699 If anyone had listened to me, the
Heidelberg tapestries would now be in Beilin and the medal collection
in my possession, but in France the only thing that counts is the wish of
die Jiwfcrc de la eonnnunauti.

The colours of die Julius Caesar tapestry caught Monsieur’s fancy,
and he really doesn't know the first thing about engraving

A.MCMHSB

FoitldirtebhaU t October 1699 It would be a blessing for die whole of
Europe if the Queen of Spain were to have a child. Boy or girl, it
lurdly matters which, if only it were a child and stayed alive. You
don’t need to be a prophet to sec diat dicrc will be a war if die King of
Spain dies without an heir. After all, it's well known that neither of die
crowned heads who claim the succession will yield; it is bound to be
settled by fighting.

1 The death of Charles II of Spam was expected at any moment, as
r indeed it had been from the time of Ins bmh. The Austrian Habsburgs
• and the French Bourbons were related to him in the same degree, and
( v cecli house was proposing its own candidate for the succession.

I/uisc

rVntameMeeu 1 October 1699 Of my wretched journey to Bar,*
which is now cancelled. I’ll say no more than dunk you for taking such
an interest. The King wouldn’t let us try to find a way round die ques-
tion of enqueue, by which the Due de Lott a me claims the right to an
armchair in our presence because he lias one at the Imperial Court.
The King replied that the Emperor has one coquette and he has another.

1 Augustus die Strong of Ssxoay, who succeeded John Sofclcsit on tlsc throne of
Poland, He could bend iron bars with his bare funds, and cull up sflvec plates »c
dinner parties.

* lisdotte had wanted to be with her daughter at Biffe-Oue for the bmh of her
Gfjtbahy

; Letters 'from'Liseloite ;

- 99

For instance, the Emperor-lets cardinals, have armchairsVuvhis preseiiceV ; >/- .
while in, the KingV they 'may. not sit down/at alL/Monsieur, w^s Cqiiiie
willing to agree to a -chair with a back to it, and -.the King agteed^-bat tH'e ;
Duke claims the right tobc treated like an elector arid the .King-wouldn’t- - ^
allow, diari Monsieur proposed that it. should be dohe;as the- King; of
Englarid does : 1 he doesn’t offer us armchairs in his. presence, 'although-’’' -v
we say we are entidedto them, so when we arc dicre he- sits 'dri -a ' :?-
tabouret. That’s what we suggested doing too, but the King woiiidn ’t; I .
hear of it, so ratlicr than offend our Duke, we have given up thejburriey. . '

SOPHIB

Parts 1 November 1699 The Queen of England does riot, ofcourse, ;
treat the Maintcnon like a sister-queen, nor does that lady, expect tp bp V'-i
treated according to this rank, but she docs demand the same considcra-
tion as if she were actually queen — more, in fact. She cxpccts.'to.
consulted about everything, and nothing must be done without' her.. 1 ; .
advice or at her command. That isn’t my way at all. If, as- she .'di<Tat;-.;j ■
first, she had gone on allowing me to give her messages for the King on . ;; V
subjects which I couldn’t mention to him inyselfi I might .haye.bcfcn. ■'
weak enough to confide in her completely, and ask her for adyice.'Biit- .
how can she expect that now, when she has made the KingpuBlicly, in-Vr: ■
front of all the world, forbid me to give her any message for him ;cyer;-;
again? I have obeyed die King’s orders, nothing can be said against diaty ij;
and if die King had commanded me to call on her since;. I should of - .
course have done so. Only it seems to me she shouldn’t be. offerided if.

I carry out the King’s orders. . ' .

Pofi- Royal's November ,1699 The King admits himself -diat there are;
faults in the -'.architecture of Versailles. The reason is that he .didii’t-aty. ' ;
..first intend to build such a vast palace, but only to enlarge, the exjstuig '
•ch&tcrfti. But tlicri lie liked the place so much that he had, to -provide ,/-’;-
' more.accpiririibdatioii m order to be able to stay .there,' .and 'instead of;;,'.
: Staffing ;With. a; new - design, and ..tearing down; the original chateau He . . %
" kdpt.ifandj'so^to sp(&k,'put a fine riew-mahde around it, and .that spoilt’..;; p
everything.

Jrihe' iyio'Xiseldtte/writes L to. Sophie, ‘jEvet^oneTond^of; btuldmg -is.'Cy /V,.,
of ih^hg'it^upns. Qrir Sng'is np exteptiom v There'h.;hor a

always fpr the better!’ > a ) s ■;

■*->>•_ t; 'James Hat. St Germain; «?-• oC,

letters front LucloUc

£1

Versailles ±4 Janinry 1 700 I must tell you what happened at Marly
On Thursday, immediately after supper, when die Kong was sitting
in the salon wlueh had been prepared for the hall, die Dochesse dc
Bourgogne came in, very prettily dressed as Horn She was wearing a
great many silk dowers which suited her beautifully With her were a
number of ladies to whom, in trudi, this costume was rather less
becoming Among the oilier Floras was the Dochesse de Sully, who is
short and stout When all die masks had taken their places we heard
cymbals, a Saromian 1 entered followed by a camel carrying a negro
who was striking the cymbals, then came a group of Amazons, and
when this parade had passed everyone danced countless minuets
The follow mg day , on the Friday I drove to Pans at half-past eleven,
heard Mass with Monsieur and afterwards went with him to St
Eustache for the christening of a bell I almost laughed out loud, die
bell was covered widt flowers, du.re was a bit of brocade draped Tound
die top, and I said to Monsieur, *Thc bell is dressed like Flora too,* it
looked so exactly like the Duclicssc. dc Sully

Golden ropes with golden tassels were liangmg from the dapper of
die bell. We were given these to hold, and we ltad to pull three times
to make the bell ring Confidentially, it’s a very' peculiar ceremony
The church was filled v. ith people who had come to watch tins
fine ritual, and afterwards die canaille rushed in to ring the bell They
imagine i twill protect lliem from thunderstorms

It w ai only fitting that Monsieur should have been invited to the chmt-
cnuig of die bell, as the so uni of their ringing was the only music ever
togivelmnany pleasure Lisdotte says that lie used to spend the night of
All Saints m town on purpose to hear die massed church-bells of Fans,

Marly j febmiry 1700 Now that a way lias been found to take trees as
tall as houses from the woods, gardens will soon be made Today we
met more tlian thirty wagons with trees tins size We hear that when
they ’re transplanted they do well and don’t die

A UAy 6 May 1700 I used to play tricks on Jungfer Kolb too, scored)
eating at mght Only we didn't go in for such dcltcattes as chocolate,
co Ret- or tea, but feasted on a good salad of Sauer Lr (fit nut Sped.

I remember once, when the door of my room w as b.rng rehung,
our beds were moved to a room next to my maids’ The Kolb had

■ SannaUa was the undent namefot the district north of die Black Sea,

'Letters-fibih Lisetitte'

forbidden, me- to go into tKcir rdoni during - the • night. • I proraisediifei 1 ■
not .to cross die threshold, and begged her . to go to bed. I told her; diit ;.;
as X wasn’t.sleepy I would.. look out. of the window at “therstarW : ...Slie>‘
refused to trust me and kept sitting about in her rughtg6\^n, .till I Said !
was concerned for. her and suggested that if she lay on her bed} -leayitig. . .
the curtains undrawn, she would still be able to see me. She agreed} arid’.’-
as soon as she was in bed my ladies opened their do or . and. put a plate of-''
salad just inside. 1 pretended to drop my handkerchief, picked it up and
die plate with it, and went straight to the window. I had hardly swal-
lowed tliree mouthfuls when they started firing the cannon outside my ,
window: a fire had broken out in the town. The Kolb was terrified and
jumped out of bed, and I was so afraid of being found out diat m;a ;
flash I hurled- my handkerchief, the silver plate aud the salad out of the, :' '
window. Now X had nothing to wipe my mouth on. Then I heard ...
steps on die wooden staircase; it was our late papa the Elector, cotne to. :
see where the fire was. He noticed my greasy mouth and chin and
began swearing at me: * Sakrameut , Liselotte, I do believe you’ve
rubbed some mess on to your face.’ I said, ‘No, only some Ointment,
my lips arc chapped,’ and he said, ‘You look disgustingly dirty.’ i
started to laugh then, and papa and the others thought I had gone out
of my mind. Then the Raugravine appeared. She had walked in through
the maids’ room, and remarked diat it smelled strongly of Spcck-salbt,
which made the Elector realize what had happened. He was not angry, ,
but only said, ‘So that is your lip-salve, Liselotte,’ and laughcd. Jf topk /
the 'Kolb a long rime to, forgive, me. , •' -..vW, y

/ This: is a very old story, which I only tell you tp prove-that I know/
very well what fun it is to spite one’s governess andeat at inght'Svheh"

. done is young;/ .. • ' /

: rtyCloudsi 2 August i 760 1 expect yoii knpw.that die Dukc of Glpuces-,

. ter 1 is : dead. If the English decided not to allow our Prince of Wales to
succeed King William}-y6u would be the person closest :tq 'the. Crown. }•

’ .It would fee nice if-yoii became a queen. I wish it more for you than .for;,
mysclfi . * ■„ /_}'• '■■•■T'l

;‘i ; v/Heirc every thing, goes on : much' die same. The ;ftmg- likes no, One •«£; _
; ; ;-'CCptliis,61d.;:fidimp^d;th6T)uchess.e de •B.oargogne}* V /■;. \ ;..v / / C :

. < '.They‘': are brmgiiig .lrim up- so jdiotically that Ttyamusds : theT?.ub de .
Berry, who is more intelligent. '

■ y- - ’ The Duke of Gloucester had been the only -child of Princess' .Anne,- heiress to the
.. ^Eh^lisli-liipneV.ajid’Geofgeof Driitnarkto'-survive infancy. 1

Letters from Usclotte 93

My son is living lus life of debauchery, be is forever m Pam In bad
company .

His -vs Ifc thinks tint she u die most beautiful object in the whole
world, I find her very unpleasant My son doesn’t notice what a
coquette she is He is so clever met cry dung else, but in this he is like a
child As I sec tint lie isn’t concerned about it, 1 shan’t disabuse him.

The Duch»5c de Bourgogne docs entirely as she pleases If she lus a
sudden fancy to take a four- or five-league drive, she goes even if it
means returning in the middle of the night- At Versailles she rum all
over the palace day and night, and everyone finds it charming If the
late Dauphme or I had behaved like that we should have been thrown
out

Fontainebleau € October 1 700 Our King and Queen of England, w Horn
I visited yesterday, talked about you all evening The good King of
England, with tears of love for you welling up m his eyes and raising
both hands in. the air, said, “O-o-o pour-pour ccla ch-ch-eh-elte
me-m’a tou-toujours aim6 ’ His stutter is worse than ever

Fcnfame&fcau 10 November 1700 I have great news for you today It
arrived yesterday morning, though it had long been expected die
King of Spam is dead The Queen is said to be ill with grief The King
died on the first of the month at three o'clock Our King has received a
copy of the will, the Due d‘ Anjou u die chosen heir A grandee of
Spain is supposed to be on lus vr»y to present die original to the Duke
and to claim hint as his king In case the King refuses to let the Due
d' Anjou go, this same grandee is to go straight on to Vienna and offer
the Spanish crown to die Emperor

Fonlamebkau 13 Not ember 1 700 People went about whispering to
each oilier y csterday, “Don’t tell anyone, but the King has accepted the
crown of Spam for the Due d’ Anjou * \ kept quiet, but when I heard
the Due d* Anjou coming up behind me m a narrow path during the
hunt I pulled up and said. 'Pass, great King* May your Majesty pass ’
tta&Khi.' fas*, vt-w. W. vasptitK. w.7 oh/ww. w Hv, t.vht

brother, the Dee de Berry, almost died, he laughed so hard.

The Due d’ Anjou looks like a proper king of Spam , he seldom laughs,
he ia always serious Our King is said to liavc told him. secretly that he
was to be king, hut that he was not to. let anyone know He w as playing
in lus room, at the time, and before he could stop himself he
jumped up, but sat down again at once with lus former gravity as
though nothuig lud happened

Letters from Liselotte

This young King may not be as lively as his youngest brother, or as
intelligent, but he has exceptionally fine qualities, fie is good-natured,
generous (unlike most other members of his family), and truthful; he
would not tell a lie for anything in the world. No one could have a
greater horror of lies. He is a man of his word, charitable, courageous,
in short, a really virtuous gentleman with no vice in him If he had
been an ordinary nobleman, he would truly be called an honnetc honime.
I imagine die people around him will be very happy.

He looks radicr Austrian, and always has his mouth open. I liavc
spoken to him about it a hundred times. When he is told to close his
mouth he closes it, for he is very docile, but as soon as he stops con-
centrating on keeping it shut he opens it again. His voice is harsh and he
speaks very slowly. He talks very little, except to me, because I give
him no peace and am always badgering him. Sometimes I manage to
make him laugh. I like him better diau die Due de Bourgogne, he is not
so easily offended and is much niccr-looking. But the one I love the
best is the Due de Berry. He is such a pleasant child and is always
cheerful; laughing and talking arc one and the same to him, very
amusing. A few days ago he said, ‘I am really miserable. I have no
chance ofbecomiug a king like my brothers, and now the Due d’ Anjou
is leaving I sliall inherit all his governors and under-governors. I have
more than enough of my own already — -what is to become of me when
I get all the others as well? I can only hope they will make me quite
perfect!' He doesn’t say any of this by way of complaint but with a
laugh. But this is enough about our prince.

Paris 18 November 1700 Tile King summoned the Due d’ Anjou to
Iiis closet on Tuesday morning and said to lum, ‘You are the King of
Spain.’ Then he admitted die Spanish ambassador and all the Spaniards
who live here. They fell at their King’s feet, kissed his hand one after
the odier and lined up behind him. Our King then led the young King
of Spain into the salon, where all the Court had assembled, and said,
‘Gentlemen, behold the King of Spain.’ Immediately there was great
rejoicing and everyone came up to kiss the young King’s hand. The
King then said, 'Bet us go to Mass and diank the Lord’, gave die young
King his right hand and. took him to Mass, where he made him kneel
at his right on his ownhassock. After Mass our King accompanied him
to his apartments, the large ones, and afterwards liis brothers came to
visit him. My Due deBerry was 50 happy that he kissed die hand of his
brother, theKing of Spain, in his joy. -

In the afterhoon.the young King drove out to Meudon to visit his

Letters from Lisehffe

father wlio is staying tlicrc Mom«gncur came cut ro the antechamber
to meet fus son He had been out m die garden, not expecting Ins son
the Knigof Spamso early, and was pufilng and panting v\ hen lie arrived
He said, 4 I see one must never ssscar to anything I could have sworn
I would never make myself short of wind coming to meet my son,
hut litre I am, quite out of breath ' The good young King was quite
taken aback to be treated like foreign royalty by his father, who
accompanied him. to his coach on leaving

Phdippeci Anjou now Philip V of Spam took leave of his lantil) among
the usual floods of teats This umc even the Dauphin was affected He
embraced his son with such tenderness that Lueiouc was still quite
distressed when she reported the scene o t the following day to her
dearest tame The only person not to cry was the Due dc Bourgogne,
though Lisclotte said his eyes looked red

Versailles 23 January J 701 "When l was ill all France, from die King
to the lowest m the land, called to enquire after me Mme dc Maititcnon
was the sole exception, she didn’t even send to ask how 1 was How-
ever, this didn’t prevent me from recovering and I v, ould much rather
suffer the old prune’s dislike than the fever, which would do me more
harm

I hear the coronation m Prussia* is held up because the tec lias de-
lated all the baggage In my view, an elector who is riclicr m land and
people than any royal highness ought to be content with Ins title But
from your desenpuon tlus King must like glitter and formality, since
he is so fond of ceremonies and I’m not surprised that he wanted to
be king

Si Cloud 27 March 1701 I dunk your list letter must luve been
held up for so long because of their curiosity to sec tf you mentioned
die news that is all over Paris that die English Parliament liavc chosen
you to succeed die Princess of Denmark* on die throne ofEngland, and
your son the Elector after y on.

People talk of nothing else They add that King William is about to
invite you to live w England and become a member of his Council,
because of y our great v\ isdom

* Tredenck |EI of Jlrandenbutg v,l»o was mimed to Sophie Charlotte Soplues
daughter became King T trdenek I orPmaia onjimiarj 18 th,

* Later Queen Anne

LeUer'$ifrojh%i$el6tfe'

Versailles 17 April 1701 You see, I was- not mistaken when,! .assured'-
you that you and your sons would be called:to tlie English^throne;^*,^ ?

The Princess of Denmark is said to drink so heavily that' Her- body -is'l
quite burnt upl.She will never have any living .cHldreu, : andflGingf
WilKam's health is so delicate that he can't live , long! So yo‘u : vnil.s 6 ; 6 i{^
sit on your grandfather’s throne, and I shall be overjoyed, much; hiore 1 ;
pleased, than if it had been my children and mysel£.h"ecaiiSe ! loyis ,my. : ?
dearest (ante more than anyone: when die time comes I will seiid.ybii'a^
compliment as wide as it is long, and stick ‘Your Majesty' all bverdt£
although for the time being I shan’t write any compliments, .for ; y 6 ii; :
are now what you always were: the one person in all the world Ayorthy ,
of being a great queen. Now I am happy to be here and a Cadiolicy scr
diat there is no obstacle between you and the crowti. ! ! ■ y

St Cloud p June 1701 This is written by the most unhappy 6£ aUliving-;
creatures. Monsieur had a stroke at ten o’clock last night,' he.'is'dn'iiis';
deathbed and I am in the greatest distress in the world, ' but', shall :
remain until death your niece and devoted servant Elisabeth Charlotte/ ,

Lisclotte docs not say, and at this point possibly did riot.fcrfcwft that a^iy
furious quarrel between the royal brothers had preceded' their 'dinnerV
triggered off by the Due de Chartres’ behaviour. For all that he wasinar-'.?-^;
ried to the King’s own daughter, Philippe was conducting an .operi';-;^:;..
tactless love-affair with Mile de Scry, one ofLiselotte’s ladies iii waiting:;-,
The King regarded this as an insult, and angrily asked Monsieur fo see ,,;'
that his son inended his ways. In reply Monsieur had scVeral pertinent : ^
things to say about the King's own conduct. The quarrel continued Until
. . the meal was announced, and when Monsieur sat doTvri to eat Ins usual’
prodigious quantities of food his face was so- red that people 'remarked!-:.'"-
upon it. • ‘

Versailles 12 June 1 701 Now that I have recovered a little from the^j
: first shock, I will tell my beloved 'tante', whom I love most": in -alljtjie £
; wqrldj ; 'tiie! only being to /Whom I can turn* for donifort! eyerydmg';;
that has happened. •,

vyi - ’ EMtiWedn^day Monsieur was still hale and well. -He iyent to Marly!:
3 .ihd • ate: 'a Ui^rty;. dinner with : '.the- .King:;. Afterwards'!' he; wtait ^on ;fo >,
! : ;St<j.ermain. lie returned in high spirits

;JEe had -seen at. the Queen 'of ^England’s.- -Atiabout hm'e!o’cWck.-I ..yyasy
P£;* S'opiiicdfHanoyd’w^ 111 ?^ the irecognized heir- by Parliament's Act of Seraejftent">
of •! JI

\ ft-

r %r r ’ *f y

Sop} 11 Efacrros f H mover l \ Andreas Sithett

Letters from Uselctte

called to supper, but as I was still suffering from fever I didn't feel like
eating Monsieur said. 'I shan’t follow your example, I shall go and eat,
l*rrt \*.ry hungry*, and went

Half-aii-hour later I heard a noise and Mine dc Venudour came into
the room She looked as pale as death and said, ‘Monsieur is unwell '
I rushed to his room at on a. He still knew me, but he wasn’t able to
speak clearly 1 could only make out, ‘You arc ill, don’t stay *

He was bled three times, given eleven ounces of emeue, a quantity of
Sduffhauscr.- water and two whole bottles of gcuttc tTAn^Llerre, hut
at six o’clock m the morning the end was plain to see They dragged
me out of die room by force, barely conscious They put me to bed,
but 1 got up again, for it was impossible to reit Since in joy or sorrow
my thoughts fly to you I wtoic to yon, though I don’t remember wliat
I said When 1 had sent y our letter off the King came to see me, very
upset, and did all lie could to comfort me He showed me great kind-
ness Mmc dc Mamtenon was also much moved and full of sympathy
Then the King left, and at noon Monsieur died 1 got into my coach at
once and came straight here The King sent M le Premier to ask how I
was, and I found that the shock had driven die fever awiy Mmc dc
Mamtenon sent a message by my son to say that the moment had come
to make up any differences with the Kong I reflected upon this, re-
membered that you had often advised me to make my peace with tlie
lady herself, and asked the Due dc Noodles to tell her on my bclialf that
I was so touched by the friendship she liad shown me during my grief
that l begged her to take the trouble to come to see me, as l w as not y ct
able to go out

She came yesterday at six o'clock I quickly repeated how grateful
l felt and how much l longed for hex friendship 1 also admitted that I
had been angry, because I had been under the impression that she
loathed me and had turned die Kmg against me l lud heard this from.
Mmc la Diuphmc, but should be very ready to forget it if she would
now be my friend. She then said many eloquent and beautiful tilings
and promised me her friendship, and we embraced

Afterwards I said that it was not enough to tell me that die King had
been displeased with me, she must also tell me how to win him over
again She advised me to speak to him quite frankly , to tell lum
dot I bad disliked her because I thought dm she had set him against me,
for which I lud disliked lum too

l took her advice, and since Monsieur had told me dm the Kang
did not like my writing to you so frankly, I tackled dut subject as well.

The King said he knew nothing of any letters, had never seen any’.

Letters from Liselctte ?

and that it must have been Monsieur’ s imagination, but mentioned that
Your Grace detested him. I said that His Majesty’s great qualities had
always been admired by you, and that, if His Majesty so wished, he
would be loved by you, too.

■When I had explained everything, and shown him clearly that, how-
ever badly he had treated me, I had always loved and respected him,
and moreover had been grateful simply to be allowed to live near brm,
he embraced me, begged me to forget the past and promised me his
favour. He even laughed when I said, quite artlessly, ‘If I hadn’t loved
you, I shouldn’t have hated Mme de Maintenon when I thought that
she was depriving me of your kindness.’ Everything ended most
graciously.

It will be another sad day for me today, for the King is coming at
three o’clock to open Monsieur’s will. Tliis will upset me dreadfully.

From a letter written twenty years later to Caroline of Wales, it is plain
that the interview also decided Madame’s future residence. After Mon-
sieur's death Madame had been heard to cry at the top of her voice,
‘No convent for me. I’ll go to no convent. Let no one speak to me of
convents!' According to her marriage contract, Liselotte had to choose
between spending her widowhood at a convent of her choice or at the
chateau de Montargis, her dower-house. She had no intention of doing
cither, and from the later letter it becomes clear that the little speech
about the happiness she felt at being allowed to live near the King was
more than idle sentiment, and directly referred to her future. She won
her point, for no more was said of convents (Maubuisson had been the
one suggested because of Aunt Louise Hollandine, its abbess) or of
Montargis.

St Cloud 26 June 1701 I had to receive die ceremonial visit of the
King and Queen of England wearing the strangest apparel: a white
linen band across my forehead, above it a cap which tied under my
chin like a veil, over the cap les cornettes, and over them a piece of linen
that was fastened to the shoulders like a mourning-coat, with a train
seven ells long. I was dressed in a coat of black cloth with very long
sleeves ; ermine, two hands wide, bordered the cuffs. There was more
ermine of the same width down the front of die coat from throat to
floor, and a girdle of black crepe reaching to the' ground in front and a
train of ermine, seven ells long.

In this get-up, ,with the train arranged to show the ermine, I was
placed on a black bed in an entirely blackened room. Even die parquet

Letters from SJseUsHt

Was' covered in black and the windows hung with crepe. A great
candelabrum of twelve candies was lit, and there were ten or twelve
candles burning on the chimney-piece. All my domestics, short and
tab, were in long mourning-coats; forty or fifty ladies, all in crepe, it
was a ghastly sight.

Versailles 30 June ijoi You know already that die King is going 10
look after me. Monsieur left debts worth seven and a half million.
Rich I dull never be; I only hope to God tliat I sliallbc able to manage.
I dunk it would have been better to die than to go through what is
happening to me now.

Monsieur really felt lus death; for twelve hours he was nude to
suffer quite unnecessarily, with emetics, blood-lettings, leeches, and a
hunched similar dungs as well as all kinds of purges. He lost conscious-
ness only just before hedicd.

Before Monsieur fell into this unhappy state he was hale, well and
gay. He was eating with great appetite, laughing and chatting, and when
he began to speak indistinctly die ladies drought he was doing it in fun.
Unliappily, it was all too much in earnest.

If those in the next world could know what goes on in this one, poor
Monsieur ought to be very pleased with me: I luve found. all the letters
tliat he received from bis young men and burnt them unread, so that
they on* t fall into the hands of strangers.

These letters, which Monsieur kept in strong-boxes, were so violently
perfumed that Madams, who was no friend of scent, was overcome by
the vapour* and round herself suffering from another bout of fever.

Versailles 7 July 1701 1 c isn’t surprising tliat Monsieur did not mention
me in his will. He could not have done so, for in this country no
husband can leave anything to his wife, or she to liim. Only what he
give* her during las lifetime is hers, bur Monsieur preferred to give
pwwwte sheet wVrts astvosed hvav H appears dial three yovmg snta
alone drew 100,000 thalers apiece per annum. I admit that Monsieur
often plagued and worried me, but only out of weakness and too great a
devotion to those who assisted his pleasures.

The fever has left me. 1 believe t cured it myself by eating cherries.
1 liadbeen forbidden to touch them, but then I received such a beautiful
basketful from St Cloud time I guzzled them in secret, Jnd the fever
disappeared

ioo • '• .•;•-•■ . '^I^U^s'jrbwJiUeioUe,

I envy people who can go to die play/lshan’t be able to go; for two -
years now. •' • '• ■ •’ 7 *' ■ •];'

AmBLIBSB -* i

Versailles 15 July 1701 lam not-such a fool- as to shut niyseif up; iui-V:
convent, that is not my way at all. Fate lias surely -destined nie.W live
out my life here briefly, and then. die._ I know die world to o'wcllm ■
have any great plans; my only ambition is, to live in trail quiUity! 'andif:
I am left in peace your kind wishes for me will be •fulfilled;!':' y.y.

In tliis country children care very little for their parents. It is rare to
find a son who loves his mother and does not scorn - her; after :his •
father’s death, so my son has more merit in this respect than, you may
think. -

Now I Iiavc had my dinner and will finish answering your letter.'!
We were talking about my son. Believe me, it is a great thing that he,
loves me. He hasn’t been brought up to do so, for since he. was ’quite,
small people have always been busily at work to estrange us.-Buthis
good nature has prevailed. There is too much to say. on the subject! so"
it will be better to say nothing. ' . .

Sophie ! /•.'•

Versailles. 21 July 1701 Mmc dc Maintcnon continues, .to' : be verj':!
friendly, and I am very pleased with her: if she goes oh like this Isliall
certainly remain her friend. And I am too old to be bored in her and idle
King’s company, like the Duchcsse de Bourgogne, who cah’tlunk of
nothing but singing and danenig. But I am. racking my' brains 'to find,
the reason for die Maintenon’s suddeh liking for me. The more 'f thiiik
. ahbut it, : the less -1 can Understand it, but one thing ,is certain— that
woman docs no tiling without forethought and a reason behind it.- 1
imagine she has chqscn.mc to make the Duchesse-dc -Bourgogne jealous!-;
•-•so -ns .to -draw her, closer to herself again. It is simply mot naturaffora
. .person to change from one hour to -die next as- : slic lus Hone, and ishall':
haye. to-be careful; about ■•what, I do or say/ : piie can’t, be certain 'pf;
^anything. ■' :

Marly- 2S:JtilyJij6i : I have been- here; since Sunday’ hight..Tlic-King;
..'received -me' with great-kindness. -He- came . to .meet nicrarid; dtaf-took;;
•me for a!walk.. He diaS'niadc many. improyemcntssinceT: was'fast^faer' 1
•!therd;is;a .new 'mail* so sKadyTthat one ;c3ii;pj!ay!at! 'liigh'.fipon-, without :
•.'feeling :the;sun>;’W’ e !made a;tbiir- of the entire gardeii, aiid climbed a ;

Admail wh&ea'ganicxesembhag'-Aofl/cJwas.jjlaycd. _ ’ •

L etters front Liselatie tot

small Kill to see the new waterfall It is scrj fine, and constructed in
quite a new way it lias three steps right at the top a large fountain
spurts a great gush of water* ancl the h~ads of sea monsters spit outmore
Tins water forms the cascade- In the centre of each step there is a low
jet and on each side* at the top bronze children play with the sea-
creatures

In die distance there arc more cascades, the water bubbles up as
from natural springs.

Mention t September tyot Tins place is really lovcK M lc Dauphin
lias built a fme fountain and made many improvements Yesterday the
King v. as hind enough to take me for a drive Mmc dc Maimcnon atid
die Duchcsst. dc Bourgogne were in another ciMte for they had both
taken quinquina* and did not want to be out as Inc as the Kong We
didn't return until it grew dark.

I don't think there can be a finer view in all die world than there 11
here from the Belvedere You can see as far as the Mont-Valcrian, and
all St Cloud with the Bois de Boulogne and Madrid 1 On the right > ou
can see Pans with a long stretch of the Seine and all die bordering
\ d!ages, behind you is the house with its garden and to die left you sec
five avenues <1 fa pate tie one, studded with fountains You can't imagine
how beautiful it is

roMatnelhait 4 September 1701 Good King James will do himself a
mischief one day with his boundless piety The day before yesterday
he spent so long kneeling and pray mg that he fainted clean away, and
he was unconscious for so long that everyone thought his last hour had
come

King James died at St Germain less than n Fortnight later, on September
l€th Loins promised hun on his deathbed that he would proclaim
James Tran cis Edward Smart as King James ITT and lost no time m
doing so, although he was bound by the Treaty ofRyrsnck to recognize
■William of Orange as King of UngunS Scotland anA freuna

Ahbuwe

ForttomcMmit a? October 1701 Everyone lucre goes hunting every day
and to die theatre twice a week, except of course for me Between

*d nsnn>3* a ® apen-nt.

* A. tt'Seemi by the Bois,

302

■J LeUe/sfrdf'mlSisebitel

ourselves, I must admit that it is no 'small inortificatf bin fbf me'-to.iiayt:
to miss both entertainments. I -go. for- long walks,- .usually; a'.. gbodi'/
French mile through the woods, and this chases a^Vay the 'melancholy : • •
thoughts that pursue me, especially since I. have to listed to tallc'abbut;.:^
business affairs,, which I’ve never had anything to -do ■ widiin
Wlicn I’m told things I can’t understand, I become dteidfully. bid-
tempered and as cross as a bedbug. ;

Apropos of bugs: they almost ate die young Queen of SpairtS alive; •
She had to be guarded all night long. She arrived in Toulon' a feW, days ;
ago, and will continue to Barcelona by land. Her Majesty v r rote to.mc
that she couldn’t bear to be at sea any longer. I shouldn’t like to change \
places widi her. To be a queen is hard anywhere, but to be a queien in - '
Spain, is surely worse than anything else.

S o p H I B ' ■ .v .'V , • ’ •' ' V Y‘

Fontainebleau is October 1701 If my marriage-contract had been
drawn up in the ordinary way like all the others here, r.shbiddfbe’V.
better off. Butin order to prevent me fiom getting anything at 'all, ’they. ■<
put in a number of unusual clauses. Tliis is why I duiik papa can’t ha ve • •
understood it, or else he wouldn’t liave made me sign such a docuhierit. -
But poor dear papa had me on his hands, and he was a&aidJ'-inight; ;.'
remain an old maid, so he got rid of me as fastas lie could. / : .'r ' :

I am sorry to hear that Frau von Harling is so ill. It makes me very,--
sad because I love her, and am so grateful for all the care and trouble .
she took with me when I was a child. • ^ VV

: AMEtiESE . . • • ■ C : : -1 ■.■/•■t-xXA'Ci'’

. Fontainebleau 4 November 1701 I assure you, dear Amelicse, I, have no - '

. atnbirion— indeed, the last thing I want is to bc Quccn of England. The :
-higher :the place, the greater ' the constraint, and if : the. positidii of.’'
Madame were an appointment .to be put up for sale I should have let; .
it go very cheaply. lo% ago, let alone wanting to be a queen. V
, ' The Princess of Savoy , does not come to- her kingdom; greeh.: She, ’ .

, is truly of ^ the stuff, that queens are made of, and -can’t Be. faulted pn'-'

’ cither : her .'fether’s or her .mother’s side. She is. Monsieur’ s. -godchild
but riot, -as -you l^pw, : mine, though the -good ^u|d‘wiiiiM;lo > rip.^witb-: ; |.
'.1 sucli '.affection thatshe might be my owri . granddaughter.- The.reas'OR'iS;V-
tliat her mother was barely two. years old vvhen I came to France and
didn’t remember her real mother at all, so she grew as fond of me as if
* Liscloitc’s younger step-granddaughter, Maric-Lcmse of Savoy, who had been
married by proxy to Philip V, aud was on the way to Spain to join her new litishand.

Letters from Ltsdeite ioj

she had been my own. daughter I. too, love her with all my Heart, and
make no great distinction between, her and my own children

Sophie

Versailles 17 Woven her 1701 Nobody had warned the Queen of
Spam that all her people w ere to be sent away, and when the cluld got
up m the morning she found herself surrounded by repulsive old women
instead of Her own people She cried and asked to go back home with
them, and die King, who is fond of her already and is still a bit childish
himself, began to weep at die thought of having his wife taken away
from him But they consoled him by telling him that dierc was no
possibility of this as the marriage had already been consummated
The palace-ladies that die Queen lias about her are absolute beasts
The Queen asked to be served with French food as she couldn't cat
Spanish cooking The King ordered his French chefs to prepare tlictr
dishes for her, but the ladies just left the French food on one side and
served her only the Spanish That made the King angry , and he forbade
die Spanish people to cook anything at all, and had hex meals prepared
entirely by the French kitchens Ar this the ladies rook the senpes , 1
pouted away all the broth, saying it might spoil their clothes, and
gave them to the Queen without any liquid, likewise the ragoihs
They refused to touch the great entries, such as the legs of mutton and
loins of veal, because, they said their hands were too delicate to carry
such dishes, but pulled out three chickens from among the other
roasts, flung diem on a plate, and set them befote the Queen like that
You could not find more horrible people anywhere, and so hideously
ugly too

Versailles 27 Nat ember 1701 l am well-treated in a general way, but
not really wanted in particular Yesterday, when I w ent to Mmc de
Main tenon's to speak to the King, 1 was very politely sent away, and
told that any command I wished to give would be collected by die lady
from, my apartments 1 could sec quite well that it meant she didn't

wa&r me tkesrc , i a»fJ J nvivr whar J iaad .uMsaded ro say Aishvssgh she
King lets me come into his closet after supper, he sends me away as
soon as I have finished speaking

Versailles 4 December 1701 I have never m my life heard of an eider-
down-blanket Personally 1 am kept snug and w arm ui bed by six little
* The tame then used foe ihe great itshcs cf boiled meats and vegetables The w Ord
■was not used for the liquid itself

.104 . ■ Letters from % iselotte (\

dogs, who arrange themselves rouiid ine. -No' eiderdown could eyer 'be ' ‘ V
as cosy. ■- ‘ • ■ • " . - - - ‘

The little Queen o£ Spain is beginning to .feel -ihore at' home. She '" ,
has resigned herself to her fate. I pity the poor child-. Slie Writes to ,ine
so often and. so affectionately that. I quite love her fo£ it.' : - . V‘v '- v -=;

Mme de Bracciano, who -is now called, the Princesse des 'Ursins^.'S
is to remain eamercra majore. The King of Spain is supposed tdthink.tlie-'
world of her. She has some very peculiar duties : she has to help" tliej, r
King in and out of his dressing-gown when he comes to. sleep with the'--.
Queen, and to carry his sword and chamber-pot after him. It makds tie': ;
Queen laugh; she describes the palace etiquette most amusingly: --T

Versailles zg December 1701 I’m sure you have fewer wrinkles than - 1 . -
have. Mine come from many years of exposure to ; the sutt while /■
hunting, but I don’t mind about them at all. Never having had good;. /,
looks, I didn’t have much to lose, and I see that those who used tobc
beauties In the past are now as plain as I am. Not a soul could recognizc •
Mme de la Valli&re now, and Mme de Montespah’s skin loots. like;/;
paper which children have folded over and over, for her face is coyered V
with minute lines, so close together that it is astonishing. Her. beautiful '
hair is as white as snow, and her face is quite red, no longer pretty at all. / ;
l am quite content never to have had what after all passes so quickly. 1 / -
You possess more lasting beauty: your- intelligence, your.'yMcity/';.;
your generosity and goodness, your constancy to those: to wBqntypu;:/
have once given your friendship, are all qualities that serve to make//
your .friends’ attachment to you so strong that they, remain devoted/;,,
/to you all their lives. Y ; iiV

/ Versailles 12 January. 1702 I haven’t forgotten -die .Lutheran hymns//
/because- 1 sing them every year with' Frau von Rathsamshausen /when .
-she is. here. /My memory; alas, isn’t as good as .you think. •. 7

don’t think it- will be possible for the King of Spain to dd>a\vay
.with ; the. Inquisition;- The. monks,' especially, the Dominicans,/ are, too v
daftgerdus.lfhe attacked them, his life wotild-be in danger. '

;VfirstijUes.i‘S) Januarfi 1 702 , Mifie de Maintenon is quite unebanged r : sUe; : .
/'is texaedy/as she was thirty years ago. She is still very polite to nie.audso
: : 4 f tlieKihg/ : .but dhifis-alh- So far "as" die King is 1 concerned,' ;'tii5^rovrih/, ; .
‘familiarity -breeds. coritetiipt’. - works • in reverse,/ became;,imose-U;

husband, the 0uke;of-Bracdan.o/Iiid,b<:ci>nic,j:
^tbePniicdDrsirui.which/'trkn'slaeed into'Frenclijinadebcr diePunpesscdcs^rsm's;:;..::,''

.Ltittrs front UsehtU 305

with whom he. is the most familiar love him the most- I assure you
that my letters to you have nothing to do with, my not being ashed into
his closet- No, die teal reason is diat people dunk I am too frank and
natural They fear that he mtght learn truths from me which would
really open hi? c)cs, that ts the true reason

Marly 26 January 1702 Mmc dc Mam tenon did me the honour of
sending me a ticket for the performance of Absalom I went, and can
assure you that they all act cxtrcrael) well I should have thought that
my son's voice was too rough to sound well on the stage, but it sounds
splendid. 1 had already been told that lie's not a bad actor, but I never
dreamt he could be so good

Lisclotte furiously regretted that etiquette prevented her from visiting
the theatre or the opera during her two years of official mourning
She had already mused no fewer than, six new plays and three new
opens since Monsieur had died

Absalom, Tragic Saint, an. opera by Duche, with the nev Dued Orleans
in the title-role, was privately presented It was b} no means tile Due's
debut he bad already phrved Alceste m 1699 and sting in a motet
before the King m 1700 In 170J, when he was to interest himself m die
music of ancient Greece, lus own opera Panthfe was to be performed in
Versailles

Versailles 10 f’i brtutry 1 702 1 tlunk the fashions here w ill clrnigc soon,
because the Queen of Spain has sent her sister, die Duchesse dc Bour-
gogne, a Spanish dress which everyone great!) admires It is made of
cherry-coloured satin with a mass of silver lace, the bodice 1* cut like a
child's coat, die shoulders arc covered and die neckline is square The
sleeves arc narrow down to the elbows, the lower pan trimmed with
wide Bounces of lace such as actors wear, sil vet-bee mixed with
point ile Vcttlse The bodice laces at the back like proper stays The under-
skirt is mounted on iron hoops, very wide at die hem and getting
smaller ami smaller towards die top, wlucli makes die waist look tmy
The overskirt is looped up like an ordinary overskirt, and has a small
rounded tram For the head diere is a lttde cap made of bee, entirely
cowed m bows of wide ribbon It suits die Duchcssc dc Bourgogne
■wonderfully w ell

LtllSR

Versailles 12 March 1702 Frau von Hathng's dcatli has really upset
me It has made me very sad although « 11 the best thing that could

^LelicrsfioinLiselottl

io6

.have happened, because she could never have recovered'-cpniplefcly/;
I imagine her Majesty the Queen of Prussia will beyeiymticli affected;:
too, as the good woman was her governess after she was mine:' .. .

Sophie • ff .

Versailles 23 March 1702 Yesterday I took a fancy to -‘see the apartment: •
of M Moreau, the Due dc Bourgogne’s first groom of : the .chamber^'
He arranged it himself. I had heard a lot about it and went to see.it;'
instead of hearing the sermon. : ‘ \ 1- \ V ;; j ■"

It was small, but neat and very curious. .V . ' :\-‘i { <- *

He has four little rooms, full of portraits and paintings. First there
are some large paintings by Poussin, as good as any belonging to the'
King. There are three of diem, two of die deadi of Phocion and bite of-
Moses being pulled out of the water by die Egyptian king’s daughter.
Then dierc is a Caracci, a Mignard, a Van Dyck, a Bassano,:and thc\ :
works of two others whose names I liavc forgotten.. Everything' isiu‘
carved gilt frames. As well as the large pictures there are small. ond/.;
all the same size, showing every ruler of France from Francois ! .to '
our present King. Under each king are die great men of that xeigii," thc'i
warriors as well as the scholars. He has portraits of every single" poet;
from that day to this. Malherbe has a horrible beard: All die.khigs’-;'
mistresses are diere, as well as all the queens of the entire period. ' .
Our own epoch is in a separate cabinet. Mine de Mohtespari, Mme.:
, dc la Vallierc and Mme de Ludrc arc all there. Mme de'Maintenbn js ;
dressed as a saint. The entire royal family is there too, arid the people .:
. who: have won batdes hang side by side. Below Cardiriat .de Richelieu.

are all his. victims, \ ;b’:

■ There are also beautiful, costly porcelains and bronzes: Le-Bran,.
Mignard, M :le Notre, also Racine, Corneille and all. the fauseriwts. ■
• Mme Hc-Guyon is diere too. 1 1 wanted him. to put her bctweeii'.M.dd'
b Canihrai and M de Meaux, but he said lie had already thought- bf.it'
and decided it was . too risky.

' '.'Versailles -2& March 1702;. A banker in Pfris, Samuel.Bcrriard, liad a
;;Ietter : . from ; ErigIand tellitig ;him that King William died last ^eek.-?
' :Now y,6 u a re, one- step -nearer, . the. throne, with' only , a sihglb^person-;’-

Make de.Guyonpreached .Quietism, a mystic religious 'doctrine. -wliicKrauseH * ’.
V great ■nit ' in France.'; She' was .responsible -for the breach between, the- arfchbidtops of -
.-Gariibrai and'Meaqx^Knelori arid Bossuet: Liselotte said that she took dire to pr&cp^ :
•the strictest neutrality -in: this .spiritual .war. .. v,

betters from Lrsehnte

T 07

before yott, and it looks as though she is almost -ready for die next
world too.*

Versailles p 'April 1702 I was not surprised that King William died
with such femeti. One usually dies in the way one has lived. Mile dc
Mahuze writes due Milord Albemarle was on die point of following
his master, he was ill to death with grief 1 am sorry to say there were
no such displays of friendship when Monsieur died

Luisb

Versailles 22 April 1 702 I couldn’t answer youc letter because of die
Easter feast, which in dm country obliges one to be m church for days
on end. After the holidays, in order to make up a little for die boredom
I liad to endure from all that Latin whining, 1 admit 1 took advantage
of the fine weather and went for an outing to the Tnanon, where die
gardens are surely the loveliest one’s eyes could wish to sec.

King William’s death has made me sad. Last autumn Lenor sent me
an alttunach for this year, and King William’s death is clearly pre-
dicted as follows : *KDdh ©* March 20th 1702; A potentate goes to his
gravc/this pleases not a few/ that's bow it goes when one departs/to
make room for the dew'.

I can imagine how the Allies must grieve. You hear of nothing but
war and rumours of war. The Court will soon be deserted, but that is
die least of my worries. I shan’t be deprived of any company on that
account. 1 am on my own in my rooms day in, day out, without
ever being bored, I find die days too short. There are a great many
flowers in front of my windows, many little dogs of whom I am
fond about me, I liavc my books, my engraved stones, atid widi all
this J can amuse myself very' w ell without troubling God or die world.
One of my most beautiful bitches is whelping here in my room at this
very moment.

Tins was fa from being a unique occasion, for Ltselottc was frequently
announcing similar happy events. ‘I amused myself by watching one of
my bitches pup. She has already produced two offspring in half-an-hoor,
and M Titti, not } ct twenty -five months old, now has durty-two child-
ren, and all this without any admonitions to be fruitful and multiply 1*

* WilLam Til had died at Kensington on March 19th, arid Queen Anne was known
to beading-

* Signs of Mm, Saturn and Son.

Metiers Jrom-Lixh'tli

108

And once, ‘One of my dogs jumped up behind me on to' 'mb .divan' where';';'.'. •
I was entertaining the Princesse de Conti. I felt it turn 'round and;pu&.-:/
out my hand to make it settle down. Something felt moist, and-whcnT y°\
took a look there was a pup on my skirts, and aftcr\vards :threc rriore v ’
made their appearance. How the Princess laughed at this: adventiirc;;i : <.
The first puppy was suitably named ‘Robe’. v^yv;:.''

SOPHIE . • ;

Versailles 7 May 1702 The King took me stag-hunting in ; lns cflKc/je ‘
last Friday, and how I needed it: my heart was so heavy ftom-thelossofi
my poor little Mione. Yesterday, when I arrived from Marly,- itf still.',
hurt me to see all her sisters co min g to welcome me; without her..i •:
miss her constantly; in my bed, on my walk, in the morning during jitiy
toilette when she used to lie on my lap, and whenever I was writtrig she : :
used to sit behind me in my chair. She was with me all the time, sucli a :
beautiful little animal with eyes full of fire and intelligence;.- ; ^

You will think your Lisclotte has gone mad over heir dog, but, imy :
dearest tante, I can’t help it, I must always tell you all that happens,
good or bad, and I had to let you know that I have lost rhy poor Mipiic"
and how it has upset me. ' .

Before leaving Marly yesterday, I walked for - an liour-ahd-a^half:
lo.oking at the King’s admirable tulipans, which all thecurieiix. come,
to see. A Scottish milord who called the day before yesterday bxpressly ,
: to look- at them said that one of them was worth 2,000 francs / He is'an
amateur of flowers and lias travelled to every spot that has a reputation,
for 'growing them, England, Holland, but - he s.iys that none are ra'reir : :
and finer than those at Marly. 1 ’ •' . " -

' Marly. 0 July 1702 People here tlimk that fighting will-soon bcgiir in'.
Flanders. The two armies are standing in readiness, separated onlybya:

. small bog. It sbenis as if sorriediing is brewing in:italy k ' too/ls lt not -a;
dreadful thing that men, whose lifespan is so very short as it is,' should.;
j be sp;eagef to shorten it further by killing each.other like. flies? j

■ .Apropos of insects : 'the damned mosquitoes do'u’t.give mea'i^utek;
,;^eace.- < tti^ .baye rf bitten me' to. pieces^I. look'^ . thougli l have- tltc.-
;• /imalippx all over again. VW e' ’are', plagued by wasps, too. '.Nob a^.day-i.
^passes- wimoursomfeoiiebeing stung.-' There ■.was’fiehdish -laughteyhcre ;
•VtlieiptEer day : a-wasp hid got- under 'a. lady’s slcirts : aiid sttinghef high
'.;up prihetleg..' She rushed 'rotmd like a madwoman, cryiiig,aS she raced;.

■ r_-'i T^ps-^:«ce’s , Bfi'spmeth3ng of i *anty ; a good .century after, their ’first: aixiynl had

-iriade-^and lost-^-enorm6us'fortunes m HolkmcL . .....

t Lett ers from LiselcUc ic£j

stout, * Ah, feme* ks yeu\ ct prenez-k mot * It soUnded very funny
Tim morning 1 went walking w itlx the King It is as though the
Curies had becu at work here, for where I had left a pond I saw a wood,
and w here t had left a clearing there is now a great artificial lake Tins
evening it will he stocked with more tlun a hundred carp These are
extremely handsome, some gold, some silver, others are a beautiful
deep blue, ot yellow -spotted, or black and white, blue and white, gold
and white, or white-gold with red spots or black spots, in short, so
man> kinds that it makes one marvel

I have no news and if r did I shouldn’t be able to write it I have been
told that the people who examine my letters arc making some very
Strange comments m order to gi_t me into trouble with die King
Should lus Majesty do me the honour of taking me to task, I should be
perfectly capable of answering for myself, and I only wish I could
confront die laughing little Minister I am positive he wouldn’t be
able to face me with his lying constructions ! would ask the Herr
Interpreter of German letters to translate dus ver) faithfully , so that die
Minister may know cxactlv what I think. Should I ever hear die like
again he need not trouble to speak to the King I shall myself ask for
on audience, and ask his Majesty if he has ordered my letters to be
opened and commented on Wluc I write is no secret from anyone,
provided it u transmitted without lies or falsification I can’t think what
the little man has against me I’ve never harmed him m my hie and I
should have thought dm m vims of the present state of affairs he would
have better things to do than to scrutinize my letters to my closest
relatives

The ‘little man* to whom laselotte refers was Toxey, one of Louis’
muted ministers He was in charge of the post office, but had many
other dunes on all of v. hich in Liseiotte’s opinion, he would have been
more profitably employed now that the War of the Spanish Succession
lud been officially declared France was facing England, Holland and
the Empire, who had formed the Grand Alliance in otder to preserve
the balance of power in Europe

Ameuese

Versailles 22 July 1702 Oh, that the French Court were as u used to
be, how one could have learnt die art of living then l Hut now, wli^n
no one but die Kuig and Moractgneur knows the meaning ofp *htcac
when die young people dunk of noth mu but frightful debauches and
die grossest arc die most admired, t shouldn’t advise anyone to send

Letters from Liselotle

his children here, they would acquire only vices instead of virtues;
you are so right to disapprove when Germans send their children to
France nowadays.

It is certainly right and proper to admire those who sacrifice life
and limb for their country. How I wish that both of us were men and in
the fighting now. An idle wish, perhaps, but I can’t help myself.

Sophie

Versailles 23 July 1 702 The Dutch understand cleanliness better than
anyone in the world. Things are very different in France. There is one
dirty thing at Court that I shall never get used to: the people stationed
in the galleries in front of our rooms piss into all the comers. It is
impossible to leave one’s apartments without seeing somebody pissing.
This would be a better tiling to abolish than plays and operas.

Luise

Versailles p August 1 702 The French proverb says ‘ Vhomme propose
ct Diett dispose \ and that’s how it was with me. I meant to finish my
letter to you last Thursday, hut the hunt lasted for more than two hours
and it was half-past six before we got hack. I have such a had memory
that I forgot I’ve told you already that I always have to change all my
clothes afterwards, so I have crossed it out here, God knows if you can
read it. It was eight o’clock before I was ready, and then I had to write
to ma tantc and my son, to tell them the good news that M Vcndomc
has beaten 3 .000 troops led by General Hannibal Visconti. They call
him V animal Visconti here, because he has been whipped so thoroughly.

For the Sunday post I wrote twenty sheets, I mean pages, to ma t ante
the Electress, ten to Lorraine, ten on business, twelve to my friends;
and all this made me so tired that I could write no more. On Sunday
I had to reply to Mme dc Savoie’s four sheets written on both sides,
and then. I had to receive visitors, which kept me from your letter.

Yesterday, both before and after dinner, we were out in the garden
with tile King and watched two beautiful statues being put up. They
cost 100,000 francs for the pair. One is the Reiiotuntie 1 on a winged
horse, carved from a single block of marble, the other a Mercury, also
on horseback, the most splendid thing you could ever wish to see.

When one is happy and contented, one does weli not to change one’s
' condition. If the King of Poland had observed this maxim, he wouldn t
he caught up in disaster now. We hear that tire King of Sweden, with
13,000 men, won a crushing victory over die Kang of Poland’s army,

1 1 This statue, by Coysevox; is now in the Jardin des Tuilcrics.

* Liters from Lisehtte

ttl

which ms iulf as strong again. If lie lud quietly remained. Elector of
Saxonj , none of tins would have happened to him tenor comments
When the goat is feeling frisky, he goes on to the jcc and breaks a leg

There « no point in wondering which v, atcrmg-pUcc would do
me the most good, for I’m in no position to go to any ofthem The rash
now coven my entire neck and back, it lias reached my chest too, and
God knows what will become of it. Otherwise 1 am well diahk the
Lord, and not m any pain

Believe me, dear Luisc, tfrvt c had nothing to worry about except our
sins, we should, be very gay indeed Do you know what makes us sad?
When fate sends m one misery after another and our temperament is
inclined towards spleen, then we take everything to heart and become
melancholy Whether we are cheerful or sad depends very little on
ourselves For example, Lenor's disposition is diccrful and sorrow
never clings to her, the witch When she is at home she can amuse
herself with her friends as much as she likes, and although she endures
boredom here for my sake, she makes up foT it ui her own house during
the winter Here site sits, spinning her silks Uuglung at everything
2 w ntc

At a well-conducted royal Court, no one can possibly appear
C»» mantcait without showing a lack of proper respect [ am surprised
that the Queen of Denmark should have allow cd such a dung As she
and her ladies were travelling, they were quite ui order, but unless
people are travelling they should never appear like that When we
are at Versailles, which counts as a royal residence, every one appearing
before the King or us is m grand habit, but at Marl) Meudon and Sc
Cloud people arc always at tnantcau and it’s the same on joumc) s I
Hud the grand habit much more comfortable tlian die wantea i, which I
can’t stand — such a double-lay er of clothing And I lute the head-dress
too. there u nothing pretty about it, and it catches on every dung

Ameuesb

HcMaiWci tS August 1702 No wonder you make occasional mistakes
if you seldom speak French. I am keeping my promise to cortect them,
for you, but neither you nor Luise ever corrects my German, which I
am sure is often in need of it I hardly ever speak German, and cau feel
that it doesn’t come as easily as it used, to I read a psalm, and a chapter
from the New and Old Testaments every day, but it isn’t the same
thing as daily conversation. I can’t learn anything from the Rath-
sains! muen either, her German. « dreadful, and she is more likely to
learn some from me tlian vice versa

1 12 _• - - • ■ , ' \-'Z£ Uas^xi^:£ 4 s^te.^

There is no need to be embarrassed- if you dbh^t-'^io^^ fif^^ -v
language properly: just take courage and talk away and'-let yoxirself;,;’
be corrected, and you will learn it all the sooner;- Wlfetsih^
is that the Germans,. all of whom seem so anxious to express diehisclyW- ^
in French now, should bother so little about spelling. - - J

How do you come to have a French Fraulein now? People' like that .'
are usually of very low nobility, and can’t compare with. our Gerihah
aristocracy. • " . “ f ;V. 9 '-"

Here, as soon as a bourgeois has bought a charge :de ’ secretaire : de : m,'.
he counts for a gentleman. Moreover, they never think twice hbdut-h
unsuitable matches, and marry all sorts of tradesmen’s daughters and, '
sometimes even peasant girls, provided they’re -rich. .Consequently ■
they are related to all kinds of artisans. The common nobility is little 1 -'
respected, even here. • ■ r: V..f

Fontainebleau 1 2 October 1 702 With regard to the people whoniyou
describe as noblemen, one could well quote the saying: 21 s soht ties ?
princes <5 gros grains. Arid yet, though we Princesses Palatine , have
provided the world, so to speak, with some of its greatest rulers, people '.
here will scarcely admit that we are of good lineage. Any. lousy*
tattered duke is thought grander than a Palatine count, however.'
ancient his descent. It drives me mad, though my son’s wife tliinksitis;
quite proper. I have had several arguments with her on the subject. '•

.Sophie : ' /\

■ Versailles . 4 January 1703 When M de Crdqui returned; fiord diis-

embassy, in Rome, lie brought back die body of a saint winch he;,
- intended to present to , a church or. convent. J;,

■■ Such a relic, especially a saint's entire body, is always, moved with'.

. great cercmbiiy .and lifted firom the casket by a bishop in fuillpqnHfical ‘
.rbb'es. before being placed in the reliquary. - >y- ^

y -^yhen. all . the preparations had been .made,, the case was., brought- '
, -hi- ahcl opened fwith all . the usual rites,, but they, had made a niisfeke/V'

■ a nd dll dhe -bishop fouiid were great saticisscs and cervelas "de. Bdiilognei ■.

rByeryone lahghed when the sausages were taken out so solemnly, • sui 3
i-'th&hishop^leftdh-a.stete bf;cmbaTmssment' '^cV'-vV' £'•

Versailles ' vZjatMafy&yds^ Leave never had a bad time m lahbur,'.'but ...
, stxll. it stands to reason that it hurts less to pash a sniah object out of the
•'.'body than a large one. Formany gears' riow I have. heeri’quite sifetfiow ,
[/any.SUcfchjcphv^^^ been entirely- Out of danger- eyersihee'

Fetters ftam Usefotb - ■* *

<thc birth of my daughter. Monsieur madedif H part very soon aftcr-
f yraz&s, and l never enjoyed die business -sufficiently to ask him to return
- to ray bed,, v _ ~ t

When Monsieur slept in my bed, I was always obliged- to he on the
< very edge, and often fell out in my sleep. Monsieur couldn't beat to be
. touched, and iff stretched outmy foot and accidentally brushed against
him in my sleep he would wake me up aud berate me for half-an-hour.
Really, I was very glad when he decided to sleep in liis own room and
lei me lie peacefully in my own bed without fear of falling out or being
scolded,

Vcrsiflles 1 February 1 7 03 Nothing pleases me more than your letters-
And what else would you write about except whatever is happening
from day to day? "Philosophy 1 don’t understand, theology evcnlcss, and
of affairs of state 1 know just as htde. So please let me ofFleamed dis-
courses, or else I couldn’t write to you any longer, for fear you might
say: Silly Liselottc, whit stupid, boring things she chatters on about,
and hew much better it would be if she kept quiet.

Versatile! 1 7 May 1 703 My little dogs try to please me harder than
you imagine They arc jealous of one another, and each of them, tries to
_ think of something to win special privileges. Rachitic usually sits
behind me in my chair, Tim lies near me on the table where I write,
Alilic Millctte lies under my skirts on my feet and Charmion, her
mother, cries until 3 chair for her >s placed close to mine. Charmante
, lies on my skirts on the other aide, Stabddlc sits on die chair opposite
. mine nuking faces at me, Charmillc lies under my arm, and this is
how they spend almost all the day.

Versailles x 1 Rovmhcr 1 703 After dinner I had a conversation with a
much-travelled merchant who lias journeyed all over Egypt, Persia
and Judaea. He tells such marvels that I think I should have listened to
hhn all day if I hadn't had to write to you. He says there arc four-
legged animals in the Nile which, arc the enemies of the crocodiles.
They pursue die people who swim the Nile, which is usual there,
tear offall their clothes, but beyondthat toncli nothi ngbel on ging to man.

He, aho says that he saw flying creatures with human faces in Egypt.
He shot one down, but an Arab he had with him warned him -not to
touch it, it was too vicious and poisonous. And then between Damascus
ana Jerusalem he tasted some fruit which has made it impossible, for
hint to eat any other kind: he can chew it quite well, but can't swallow

114 -

: ‘Lettcts-frotn : Zhe}qite' : .

it. Also, lie saw a crowned serpent which is.believed : ’to,’be die devil
that country. y::

He has many other marvellous stories; they are gdmg,to.be |>uthitti;a%-
hoofc which he is dedicating to me. ' -

Versailles 18 December 1703 . I always said that niy . ; biarrkge/wohId'-\ >
serve no purpose, hut neither yoii nor. die Elector would -listerii , Now,
my company seems to haveheen made so disgusting' to' die
lie can’t bear to have me about him at all. At Marly he lets niefollpw
. die limit because each of us is in a calhebe h part, but here he-has beehoiit •. :
twice widiout taking me, because I should have to be ; ua'lus coach, d;/;
admit tliat at first I was rather hurt by this disdainful treatment,- biit
now I liave made up my mind not to torture myself any moreA

I liave too much afiection for our King and Queen bf-Spam ; to be .
able to call any odier man ‘King of Spain’. The Holy Scripfores. say;.’;,
‘I-Ic who has die bride is the groom’, and since our .ICing .is. in' SpSin, V.
and acclaimed as king by all the Spanish, he is bound to b.e their -right- . %
fill king, not the Archduke. I don’t dispute his good qualities, and quite '
believe that he is intelligent, well-mannered and good lookmg.-Torily//
wish he Would manage to chase away the Turks and : become empercif ,
of all Asia, but Spain must remain our young King’s. ;

The Archduke Charles, the Allies’ candidate for theSpanish throne/Was ’ >■<
’ soon to be acknowledged as Carlos JH of Spain by 2 number of Spanish; j.v/
provinces after a series of Allied victories led by Marlborough',' and ; X
,r ; Eugene of Savoy. ’

A wr; tie. sn

Versailles ' 30 March 1704, I baye left die good work of fasting midbhedy
: fob 'doesn’t agree with me,- and in ray opinion there are ;rh6re iisefiil.
dungs' to be done thaii-to ruin one’s stomach by eating too ihuch oifid v; ■
V; . What liarm . could there be -in . my : knoiviiig or ;,not kiio wing- who. ..v
-c^ne.tp ’die-Fau in prankfurt? They must be in a great state of anxiety. V;
/.diere-jf -they, disapprove of diat. I have.nd 'difficmtyVat^/m-ieadmg
•hstVdiatypU dito’t send, butifypu fear diat s'ending it WouId get ypU'J: '
unto, difficulties you Ido well not to include Jt. I coffidri’t b&r. to'ffiu^v-'
i was the causebf your getting , into trouble. - i y Y-r ■„ i;.j

.Sopiiik ' . ••••. ' i>' ; A A ; ; ■ j A c A

;^a^\ybut : dower?-liouse.i-'and;.that.iibAyprk could be done: there : expep,t ;''

Lettett from Liselotlc

1 15

by- your orders. The only house I have left is my dower. Montargis.
It h three or four days* journey from here, but if I were- to go and live
there I should be stranded, and have to lead an extremely boring
. country lift without anyone taking any notice of me. No, that
1 wouldn't suit me. I prefer to jog along here, although I'm not one of
the chosen, nor am I admitted to die Holy of Holies.'

VetSalUtt on Ascension Day, l May 1704 Today we have a holiday,
just like you, and liave to go to Vespers this afternoon, which is a boring
pastime. You will be singing *Aud peace will reign eternally’ (l can’t
think where) and 'All feuds are at an cn-hcn-hcncT (though it seems 10
me that there is toll quite enough fighting ewryv. here). What a
miserable state of affairs

If l had to read romances for long stretches at a time, I should find
them tiresome; but I only read three or four pages in the morning? and
evenings when t sit (by your leave) on my close-stool, and then it xs
neither fatiguing nor dull.

Marly 10 August 1704 Here 1 am, hke a person in limbo; I heat die
sounds of rejoicing in heaven without being able to take part.

last Thursday the King sent presents to tire Duchcssc dc Bourgogne
’ from each of his pavilions. From the first a Flora delivered flowers and
verses. Trom the second and diird came a collation of fruit, sweet-
meats, ices and liqueurs, despatched by Pomona and brought by Love.

’ There Was a basket from the fourth, filled with beautiful ribbons of
every sort, sashes and every kind of fan set with diamonds, rubies and
emeralds. These were presented by anothet deity, but I've forgotten
which.

In the sixth pavilion there was a spinning-wheel and a table of
Chinese lacquer with two hundred pounds of silk because she Ukes to
spin. In the seventh, die one with the celestial globe, there were all
sorts of rarities torn India, from the ninth came perspectives through
1 which to gaze at the stars, the tenth contained a table set with an extra-
ordinarily fine Indian silver service, the eleventh a gold one, and in the
twelfth pavilion there was a painting, magnificently framed, of the
Duchcssc de Bourgogne herself, with the Due de Bretagne in her lap.

, I should have gone to visit my son and his wife yesterday to hear an
opera that my son has composed, but it didn’t start until tune, and as I
never see the King except at table I couldn’t miss the mcaL

* Ludotte’t name for the King’* doset, -which she calls the Sanctum Sanctcmm.

Letters Ji^iifLisejotie,

1x6

la spite of the war the fetes, for which '.’die Birth 'of ^the tpuches^s'iriew^^v
baby (who, however, died some months later) on-tHis antanccpmhdbl £ ;
the occasion, grew more and more splendid. Although Liselotteityas'w^'
mourning, she was bidden, to a sumptuous 'jaitextaininefit ar£angcd'ti>.:'i^ !
show off the splendours of -Marly to the .'English Court at St Getmam'-^';
Her letters contain descriptions of die royal repast, served .in" 'a -grassy'.:'
clearing, une veritable saUeverte, where. the different 1 coloured iixs'werei-l’v
arranged in pyramids on tiered banks, making a find effect In their
dishes of various sizes. The party sat at a huge marble, horseshoe 'tablc^-h’’
‘covered with a tablecloth that looked so exactly like -mirble ’that iyoiWsy
could only tell the difference by touching' it’v She also, writis 'of 'the’ ;; -'.
party’s astonishment at the magnificence of themarble Galatca-oiiher
raised island in the centre of the lake that had recently wdcomed the’/ : :
multicoloured fish, and the sculptured marvels surrounding the statuc:\ { !’,
‘golden children, some carrying golden fish in golden’ nets, ■others-' 3 .. ’'
picking die beautifully worked flowers that were, placed about, -bid the;
most life-like waterfowls everywhere.’ w-'lj.h"'?*

After the festivities had concluded with a breathtaking fireworks dis^t j
play, lasting for a good half-hour, and another meal, the English, Court _
went home, the King and his family retired to lu's closet, and'Liselpttc.V ,)
went to her rooms and to bed. ' ,V- -t

.Mai Jon 28 August 1704 Again my grateful thanks’ .•■for.'t|ife*'.cyo i ;'
ointment that you so kindly sent me. The Comtfesse dh’Gra : mpti£ : ^a^
delighted to.. have it, though I think ! shall’ soph be hcedlfigi it'ni$ 5 clfe‘
, My. eyesight has got so , much worse that L(^n h^dly ; x^d. did Dutch;
gazettes any longer, it, makes me quite miserable;. '.I 'rdq^sd/dish&d
spectacles and, can’t sce through diem properly. .But,sopn’t_di'fer^’l,hl^?
; no way out, I’m afraid. . • -h ; y.

K- taiitc, the abbess of Maub ui s son .still has very good eyesight;';
thank; (Sod.; I Iliad dinner ’with tier -the -day before y^erday.Tfo.unq het^
sense 'of humour;ahd her understanding as. good, as ever. Shelopks; wtslli;'
phlyher legs are changed for the worse: She walks very badly. "£6 see
her’tqtter about, lacking ns if sHemight fall at any nioriicntj- nialqs :ohe'
ihenhibwihdtt^chy,^ hut sheisn’t.pleased-wlienher nuns pfienhifielp.
her.- Sullyi Hbpe she will Kave’ a' long life in spite of dus/msabmtyfiqr,;
ias IS'aylhbrhve senses 1 are in perfect order and her reparteeis fu£l(c^wi^'
’quite as it ought to be. *

b;We came-herc last n igHf. Rrs.t I Wehrtp; St .Cldud,. to see hiy^gr^h-^
.■childfenbt Qfdo^tm^>‘g^hc^h^a>t'sd;pr^ty-di^.I.b egj^ hmy;sq^-tg;.
.iiHye Muh^phhted/.andwhenl hayehis portrmt ihSend-'yoh^

-y liAfee’rhmd; played- widi , a ll 'llie children for a; wlule. I. canie.'.hferebq;

Letters fa rn LisefatU

1 17

sec tlic most beautiful spectacle one could ■wish for, nsmcly, an
illumination

There s«s i great archway like a dome, a real arc it fmnrpfi-,
tv. elve porticos on each side, wuh coats of arms painted on pyramids
between the portals In front of the triumphal arch there was 3 huge
phntlv with Lx Renomt-Je on top At the base, winch appeared to be
made of marble, dtcrc were four inscriptions Right m front of die
column as on a stage made of turf the great tasstn d eitu v/as so thickly
studded with lights. that it seemed to be on fire. The palace of the sun
itself could not have been more splendid

The fireworks too were magnificent. I can’t imagine that Pans
had a finer show tliat evening but it was over all too soon

Versailles 26 October 1704 Last Thursday we arrived at Sccaux The
King attended a private concert at Mme dc Mamtenon s and 1 amused
myself ui my rooms by playing backgammon, which t play very
badly

On Friday I went to look at the Due du Maine’s new fountains
They are very fine, made of stone to look like pierced rocks with
shell, coral and mother-of pearl, and rushes with gilded heads Then
I went to the kitchen garden, which ts large and beautiful I wanted to
see what M de NavaiUcs my son’s old governor, had 50 greatly
admired He came to see the gardens at Sccaux m M C olbert’s day He
was shown die splendid waterfall the^afene d ea 1 which is unbeliev-
ably lovely, die salle dcs mnnavlers, the l crceaux in short he was shown
all that ts most beautiful at Sccaux yet he didn't utter one word of
praise But when he came to the lettuces in die kitchen garden he
exclaimed at the top of lus voice. 'Fraitehement fa vftitf, toif) line belle
efneorte* So I also went to sec 1 1 belle chicorfe

Marly 14 December 1 704 Here, beauties arc the greatest rancy , to be
beautiful is quite out of fashion The. ladies themselves help this state of
affairs along with their whitened cars and their hair pulled tightly back
off their faces, they look like rabbits held up by the ears to stop diem
from escaping Rather ugly, to my way of thinking Also, they have
become lazy, and walk about without stays all day long This makes
their bodies grow duck, warn lines have disappeared There is nothing
pretty* to be seen, of body or of free

A hide later They all look as if diey had escaped from a mad house
It colddn 1 be worse if they did it on purpose, F m not surprised that the

J^ftefSj/foinXisei^tie

118

menfolk despise die women, . who hayc bccbme.:red21y':top .despicaU^ S-J’
now, with their clothes, thek' drunke^ess and thcn-ioh^cb^^lriciv'/i
makes them stink to high heaven.’ *' ■' ", ’’

Ambeiesb - ■ • ’ ' -

Marly 28 January 1705 The cavaliers • doh’t' t^brfwliedier .they;: drihfc'-.
with ladies or with chambermaids, provided they, arccpq^itettes.'and
fond of hard drinking. Truth to tell; it isn’t the cliambcfmaids but ’
people of the very highest quality -who get rolling

LurSE '

Versailles 14 February 1 70s Dearest Luise, I grieve widiaU-my heart*. -
and worry so much about ma tante the Electressdiat I can-find no rest or
comfort. I cannot tliink of your bereavement without horror,' -and feel)
so distressed for you that it nearly breaks my heart ! OK my God, why);
didn’t the Almighty take me instead of this -deir ' Qtieeri; •m^whorn'iiM;
tante could still have found comfort and pleasure for" a) long -fiime.tb'.'
come? I am no use to anyone, and have-lived longenoi^hi-.y

Amelibse . ~ . ''' S .

Versailles 26 March 1705 It was a good idca to -send die tlircc lcarncd i
.men to talk to ma tante, to take her mind off the friglitrful'.cercmony'
wlieii the late Queen of Prussia’s body was removed.' I hojie :'dia't)God
willing, all diis is behind us now. No one could say.yoU, were Useless)
Really, dear Amelicsc ! In any case, no one dibs'befdre;%'eir-'}appqmj|d)
'time.

’r ^ The end of your letter is what is called here ttirt. falle
: Serio.usly,;it is -elegant. I am not so accomplished, and 'shail;d^y)state'
; quite flatly diat I shall always love you, and Icmbrace : you -with' all my
heart.. t

Sophie ') . ’ ' ; ’ ” 7

Versailles fr-AprilifoJ; These- are : the days.weh'aye -to spend ididyin';
;chu'rch^I’ye . already been 'there for a good five jiqurs/U should liayd'
; gqiie’ ! to ' fh c- Salutj too, but, then. I shouldn’t' have .been ablp)t6 ansyrot;'
yOui letter.; When I caiiib away from' the Gr eat .Man;!; was [delighted .to;
.'find your bwo letters : die Alroighty- has' thus already repaid hiefor- the ; .
tedium. I endured ins His service. -. 1 _ •..• 1 "

SopHeVdaughtet, the, Queen of ftvssia, had died 'bn'Febmary Zflyaged diirty-sut.’.

v Litters Jrom Usthtte 3 13 ,

Versailles t£ -April t?a$ My son, who u up to Hu cars in music' mote
than ever he Tote, is looking out all the old haliers to discover how music
used to sound. In. a ballet going back to the days of Guiles VU he
found the melody of the Lutheran hymn that goes, *Oh God 111
cleave to thee asThou willst dcavc to me*. I'm sure you’ll never be able
to sing that again without thinking that you arc singing an air from
Charles VlTs balfet.

' My son can sighttcad 3 ny music. Last night I made him give me a
recital of the music that Henri III lnd performed at die nuptials of his
- sister-in-law and the Due dc Joycuse.

Lutsn

Marly 2 A fay 1705 My cough has gone, just as I thought it would.
l*m not worried about irritating the doctors Wlien I appointed mine,

I told him straight out tint he was not to expect blind obedience from
me. White I should permit him to state Ins opinion, he was not to he
offended if I sometimes took no notice of it. My health and body were
my own, and I proposed to deal with them as I considered apropos.

The doctors, I suppose, have to hold forth upon their art in order
to make themselves indispensable, but in my experience there is
no tiling wiser than nature, which I allow to take its course. Should that
fail and help be needed, there is still time enough to trouble oneself
, with quackeries. The doctors arc scarcely able to heal diseases, how on
earth could they expect to prevent them?

f I loathe all medicines, and when I sun forced to take any E get no sleep
all night long and feel as cross as a cockroach.

AMBHESfi

Marly 16 May 1705 No Carthusian monk could live more quietly or
in greater seclusion than I do. Eventually I dunk I shall forget how to
speak at all, though soon E shall talk a little more: Frau von Rathsamv-
hausen arrives today or to-morrow, and I expect that we shall recall
together the old stories of our youth.

Let me tell you about my life: every morning, except on Sundays
and Thursdays, I rise at nine. I kneel, say my prayers, read my psalm
and bible-chaptcr, then I wash as thorougldy as 1 can and ring for my
women, who come and dress me. At a quarter to eleven l am ready,
theu I read or write. At twelve I go to Mass, which in my ease lasts
just Under lulf-an-hour, and afterwards I talk to the ladies, mine and
others. Dumer is at one o’clock sharp, and directly afterwards I spend
a quarter of an hour walking up and down in my rooms. Then I sit

iso .. • • J^yjLeitcrsJrd tnJJ. s6totiif : .

down at my tabic and write letters until half-past six; iwh^ Ts^d for '/
my ladies and go out walking for- an hour to ' an hoiir-and-a-half tHeu
back to my rooms until supper: Is diat not truly die life of k refcluse?,/>/

Carthusians are bound by vows of solitude and 'silence:. Xisclottediad •
earlier said about her life ofloneliness: ‘What prevents me&om'makmg'.yj--.-
friends is that as soon as you do, there is talk of your herngmlovewidi V;
them and they with you, and that has made me break off all .commerce. - M
I have no friends left, I spend my life by myself, it may be .dull.but.at; '/
least it is peaceful.’ She added that she was in any case not much troubled
by gahmts, owing to her shape and lack of money. . ; ...

Sophie

Versailles 7 June 1705 In the gardens, the King never says outright,
‘Do not accompany me’. When you meet him he halts, and if he bows
after saying a few words you must walk on. If he wishes you to stay, he
asks you to walk with him, otherwise you simply can’t.

Trianon 21 June 1705 I am very well lodged here. I have four rooms,
and the closet where I am writing this looks out on to what we call
‘les sources'. This is a little wood, which is so thick that the sunlight can t.
penetrate it even at midday. There are more than fifty spriugs in it.
They make little rivulets, some of them no more than a foot wide and
easily crossed. Their grassy banks form little islands, large enough for
chairs and a table where one can play card games in die shade.

Marly 30 July 1705 From all I hear of Leibniz 1 he must be very
intelligent, and pleasant company in consequence. It is rare to find,
learned men who are clean, do not stink and have a 'sense !p>f humour..

yMa'rly/sJlMig iist '1765 | Mine; la P.ucheisse dc -Bourgogne must li'aye'
recovered, for yesterday, she was out Hunting -frith the Kiiig. ^i see ;her
/everyday; Hut she hardly says two words to ^me.'.iri -a -fortiught; she>.
..only; bows/ and :then she- looks at me - over her shoulder. However,-. I;
./Imow where I stand and don’t let it worry rrie. It is mrire to her dis^-
-.;dredit d^ 'iiuiie, and 6nly proves what an ill-mannered child she.is'. : /-
One'" hardly . kno ws, whd : one -is any more.' ;Wiien die; Kiiig ; passey.-
;.bjr/ p€oplq';ddn’tr-raise..'itiieir bats/ When- the .Duchessc deBour^ogiVe.!

Gottfried Wilhcbn von. Leibniz 6), die German pHitosop1icr, -?yK>"b. a ^
/.been, .oiie of Afeineani^3;;meB’^to:ttke Sophie’s •

- .Ms works for her son.- w.v:. -'a-*?. «r

Letters fwm Ltselo te

121

gets -walking, she is atm-m-arm with one of hertadies and the others
3 walk by her side, and no one can tel! who she is In the drawing-room
here and in the gallery at the Tnanon the menfolk sit m the presence of
Mle Dauphin and the Duchesse dc Bourgogne, some even lie full-
length on the divans I find it difficult to get used to this muddle, it
seems very odd to me and not Uke a Court any more, I can't realty say
what it seems like

Ameuesk

Marly 6 yhtgtuf 1 70s The Tnanon is quite close to Versailles, just a
cannon shot away, and the gardens are the loveliest tn the world How
surprising that you had never heard of it No one ever comes to
Versailles without s-cing the Tnanon

if you had tins heat and hornble dust in Hanover, you wouldn't
thi ik that driving about was such a pleasure I went to St Germain
yesterday to visit the Royals, and when I came back I had to change
every stitch I was wearing and wash my face I looked as though I was
wearing a grey mask A sailor tells me that c\ en India 15 no hotter than
thit There has been uo ram for over two monel is, and the leaves are
scotched on die trees Adieu I have dunged my clothes from head to
foot. The heat is terrible, and one sweats as though one were m an oven.

Atari) 20 August 1 yes A great many people here have seen the Princess
oF Alisha eh 3 and they arc all full of praise. 1 hope die marriage will be
a happy one, it started off so gaily Of course, a wedding tike this is
bound to dicer up the Court There w a time for everything as King
SoIomOn said, a time for grieving and a time for rejoicing Their
gneftm lasted a long while now it is tune for joy It is very luckv
when such a marriage gives everyone pleasure it is not often the ease,
as I know all too well

My son has given me a fine fright he Jias made himself ill with his
crazy life, playing tennis, bathing, and paying too many visits to his
mistress ft began violently but was soon over, thank God. He is
diank God, quite well again now

Versailles 3 December i 7 0$ Where can y ou and Lmsc Im c been hiding
to know so little of the ways of the world? I should have thought it
was quite impossible to spend any tune at all at any Court without
getting quite a good idea of it If one were to detest every man who u

* Caroline of AnjbacVs beitctful to George At-gumn cF Hanover Sophie's
granAon.K»Ab«n announced at the mJ ofjnly

Lepers'from^iselotie.

122 '

; forid' ofyoung'fello ws, -it .would 'te^mpoKibl6 i ''toy£md:^en:sikjpecjpjeX'‘
• to like, .or at least- dot. to' dislike. They come xn.-eyery.sort bfivariatiori. b
Some of them hate 'women -and only love meh, others Hke hb'd>.ihea'
and women, some only like children of ten or; 'eleveh^'otliersiyoini^ ■.
men between seventeen and twenty-five. Most are iri this ; caiegory.
O.thcr debauchees, who love neither, men rior -women, -'amuse . therit-^'
•selves all alone,' but there are only a firw of- those; And then there ate:
those who don’t inind what they have, human or animal they ;takc
whatever comes along. I know someone here who brags dint he has -
had relations with everything under die sun except toads/ Since I. ;
heard this I can.liardly look at the fellow widiout feeling sick. Ho used?
to be in Monsieur’s service, a really vicious piece, .and no brains at all; V
So you sec* dear Ameliese, die world is much worse dian you supposed;

Versailles 25 February 1706 Our Carnival is over. Even' I; at my. time' .
of life, had to put on fancy-dress in the end. All I used was a piece of "
green taffeta. I tied it to a forked stick with a great rosette-of;rbse- '-'
coloured ribbon at die top. The disguise was open from head to waist, I
slipped into it, fastened it round my neck and held the stick in my hand.'
You couldn’t see the lines of my figure underneath, for die height of
the stick made me appear slim, and not a soul recognized me.. When— '
ever die King looked at me I inclined die stick and seemed to be bow- ,
mg. He grew quite irritated, and at last asked die Duchcsse de Bour 7 .
gogne, ‘Who on earth is that tall mask, eternally saluting me?’. She :
laughed, and said at last, ‘That is Madame.’ I diouglit he wpuld die of.
laughter.. f.

.The Due. de Bourgogne and three others, lc Vidame, die. Prince ^
de Rohan arid young Scignelay, were wittily dressed: they were, in gold:
with golden masks and silver sashes to look like the carved g&igutridcjiis:
They wore, candelabra ori their heads and stationed dieriiselyes at the ,
four corners of die room. M le Dauphin was en conicttes;e£ midrietme^^
as were. many . of the ladies. It was most amusing— I had to laugh, when*.;:'
:! eyer:Ilqoked;at him. . - •••':.;• •■'■'..■

'•l&ISB •. ‘ ‘ ' - ^ t

■.Marly 22 April 17 06 The story about- d*e vale tHarscb:wiis -very. fori^y^:
: ; It .reminds >xne of something' that once happened f tp -my/ son . ?!;' had
engaged a German teacher for. him, and after he had studied the
language for four solid years 1 told him. that in order to learn a language :
it was necessary to practise conversation, arid asked him to speak to me
in German every now and dien. ;

Ltntrsfrom LisehltP

113

Once when we were in die- gallery, where yon nc\et know what
might be going on, my son, intending to quote the German proverb
Art lassi nltht von Arts exclaimed with emphasis, "as though pronoimc-
mg judgement, *Arscb lasst nlcht von AtseV * 1 was utterly shocked
Thinking that he had meant to say tins dreadful dung. I cried, 'Boy,
be Silent 1 ’ t really thought lie had noticed some beastliness, wluch
•wouldn't have been at all uncommon here 13 m when be explained in
French what he had meant to say and 1 had explained the difference
between Art and arse, he laughed fit to die But this showed, he said,
that he would never learn German, and he has since given it up

Ameuese

Marty so May 1706 How can yon possibly think that our joung
King’ of England is a changeling, and not the Queen’s son 7 l would
stake ray head on his being the rightful child. For one thing he and his
mother resemble each other like two drops, of water For another, a.
lady not at all partial to the Queen was present at die birth and toldme,
for the sake of simple truth, diat she saw this child still attached to die
umbilical cord She has no doubt at all dm he is the Queen's son
The English treat their monarchs so curiously that it's not surprising
there is no rush 10 become their ruler Ma Unite is quite right when she
regards this child as die true heir

Sophie

V&saittes 10 June 1 706 The upheavals of the last twenty ^cars arc
unbelievable* the kingdoms of England, Holland and Spain have
been transformed as fast as die scenery m a theatre. "When later genera-
tions come to read about our history tlicy will thrnlc they are reading a
romance, and not believe a word of it,

Ameubsr

Marly 17 }wt( 1706 The seals may look quite undamaged, but aur
letters are none the safer for all that. It is quite easy to open and close
diem up again, my son showed me this art *

* Ld.e n drawn to like. 1 Arse n drawn to arse

’James Bl, the Old Pretender, whose birth had been subject to 3 good deal of
gosjip Evidently tlj» rumour tlut ha had been smuggled into the Queen* s bed in a
-warming-pin wj* not yet forgotten.

* The Due d Orleans was keenly intern ted In science. at well ai in the arts slid
spent ft good deal of his umc with Ini German chemist/physciin, "Wilhelm von
Homberg, in his laboratory conducting experiments.

Lettersjrpm jffiefeffe,

124

Ma t ante .wrote that the King of: Prussia ^as-hringing, his' Grown';^
Prince to 'Hanover, but not a word.'about a betrothal; 'sO -r'pretehd;'t6 ; ‘'- -'.
know nothing, 1 1 hope, dear Ameliese, that you will keep me mfotnied.V' ' ■

Marly gp July 1706. I can’t 'understand why die .King';bf Prussia.;:gb^s l:>;
out of his way to find more and more occasions for ■ ceremony -
you know, I am the arch-enemy of all ceremonial. But '.ibis iiardly..-.
surprising that . Court dress should be worn for the royal' nuptials
it would be ridiculous otherwise, like the marriage of a chambetmaid. - . -

In the meantime, I have chosen an underskirt for, ma tahtc,' s no^ba^',;'
at all: natural-looking blue flowers and gold festoons on a black' back-\;' :
ground. German figures are no different from French ones; after -'4l~- .V.'.
the same dress is worn here and over there. . '• V*,; ^

How funny that you should call my son die Due de Chartres. That V
is the name of his son, my grandson. My son is called the Due d’ Orleans.

Sophie 1 v':'

Versailles 1 August 1706 It is now the greatest fashion to complain -
about the air. The Princesse de Conti no longer cares to hayecthe-hj
house at all, and never takes a walk. Nor does Mine d’Orleansjand
they arc forever in need of purging, bleeding, badis and mineral waters.
Worst of all, dicy all exclaim about my health- 1 tell them everyday that
if I lived as diey do I should be even sicker than they are, and that it is , ;
precisely because I don’t use medicines, go out into the firesh air, aiid ,
take frequent exercise diat I am well. However, they don’t believe,-,
me. I can’t even bear my curtains to be closed, I always keep.them. open., ,.
—otherwise I should suffocate. . . • ;

, Versailles .2 September 1706 I’ll tell you what we'-saw .yesterday. ,\W r e.' '■]
,■ left here at half-past nine— Monseigneur was kind enough to let merit'-,
next to the King — and arrived at .the fovalides at eleven o’clock. .The;); -
field was filled with coaches, and up at the church stood .Mi) Mansart?-- y ■
. with d.trobp. of painters and workmen who had been employed in : the; .;••
building. He made a short speech, and . pmsented: die - King wi&.£he
.'. free’dQrn.of die Invalides, -handing him a mighty gilded, key, /.

Crown. Prince Frederick William, Sophie Chariot’s. son, 'came to it^y t SogWc^'-^
£>6rb£lica pfCelle.;' );)V ; V-.'. V! . : V,

;/ a .Jales :Hbrdomh -MMsart,;'wh6 was -in. charge of . most .brXbiiis’ . buildings, ln-V- •’
-riucling :ifasaiBcs;VMaHy. irad/-tbe''-Ttiaa<>n.- -He had. just Completed 'thc' diapel -in. ; . •
; ; ;,the -i>6me)dbs;Inyalides. The .main building, the^Hb tel dps Invalidcs; .which yjas to
house mC;V,(itcransbfBpim’. wars, had beehl>egtinjnz<S7 0 - ‘ . l . ,

Letters Jmn Liselotie r ' ■> 125

fully worked . Thai we entered, the great church. It was quite over-'
whelming at first sight: gold, marble, and more marble fit beautiful
white squares. * *> 1

1 When you stand in the exact centre under the dome, you can see
seven golden altars. There arc four chapels, dedicated to the four
lathers of the church, and in the dome of each clupcl h painted the
life of the saint concerned. There arc a St Gregory, a' St Ambrose, a
St Augustin and a St Jerome in the middle. Directly underneath- the
great dome arc the four evangelists, one in each comer. Above, inside
tire dome, is the Holy Trinity’. The martyrs are at the sides, and I think
the Samis arc up there with the Trinity'. The dome ts enormously high,
and the figures look smaller than Ufe-size although they are sixteen foot
tall. But I must send you a book about this church — I'm a&aid I may
Spoil the beautiful impression with my stupid description.

There is not a word of trudr in the story that my son refused to accept
the army command They arc now, unfortunately, lying outside Turin,
and I am very much afraid that he and Pnnee Eugene, who is in hoc
pursuit, will get infernally into one another's hair.

Ambubse

Versailles 9 September 1 706 My daughter iv losing no time in having
babies, she has been married eight years now, and is pregnant with her
eighth.

The wedding-skirt and all die other things will soon be on their way.
Dear Ameliese, m your account of the presents you forgot to mention
the bouquet with the ruby ring that die King of Prussia gave to his
son's bride, mu tante writes of it.

I don't feel very cheerful because I am worried about my son. who is
up to his cars in the siege of Turin.

Sopnin

Versailles s6 September 1706 My heart is heavy. The very day when
you last wrote was a most unhappy one for me, and all because die
. Mnobdird ulr .IAn.sdr.-a nd ulv^nshsrgi'nuttnL-.m fot-cd .to .Uiten .to.nyr.MWi
He warned his army to leave the lines to attack the enemy, but neither
Marstn nor the others would consent. They issued an order expressly
forbidding it, which, my son, unhappily, was forced to obey.

The enemy attacked the entrenchment at a spot which die Marshal
do la FeuiUade had neglected to fortify, relying on two rivers that
How nearby, and never realizing that the water dried up in die hot
weather.

- 125' ■ ", Wi -?r r

So the enemy crossed over,' 3 5,000 : agamst 8,000 :men, forced their
. -way' .through and of; course relieved Turin.-- h ■■ :-V- V '.’-i V'- .v J-iV;-- 1
My son defended his .position aslongas he could, ahd :was.y/o,unded^
in .two - places. 1 - He was. hit in the hip by a musket-ball, and his,left..atrh.
was injured between, the elbow and -the liand. diough his -barber wrote',
to assure me that he is in nb danger. Maretffial. de Marsffi paid' for his ;
bad counsel with his life; 1 .- ■' -.V " • v V ’ : f '

Versailles 23 .September 1706 This is how my son’s misfortune caniei,
about. The King had expressly commanded him not to make ;a move :
without the Mardchal. de “Marsin, a timid fellow who doesn’t- :stif ;
without consulting Mme de Maintenon, and she understands no more
about warfare than my Titti. How is it to end?

Loise : - . • ; \

Versailles 7 October 1706 Thank you for your concern. abbut.my son.
The wound in his side was not dangerous, but he almost 'died ofthb
one in his arm. My poor son didn’t take enough care of himself, he
kept on riding, his low spirits prevented him from resting night br day,-,
and-the wound became inflamed. But it was cut so apropos that' it didn’t
come to any thing terrible. Thank God, he lias an excellent doctor and .
barber. ... ,

My son will remain with his army and not come home. tliis winter. -
Fortunately for him, it is well known that had his advice, been folipwed. ;
the King would now be in possession ofTurin, and the enemy defeated/

Versailles 28 October 1706 As I have been saying for /a. long time, it;
would, have been far better to let the two Spanish kings fight it out .
between themselves. Ours would have had the advantage, for. lusifcti,
are terrifying. But I should consider it more Christian if the two, kings -
; fought for! their kingdom instead of spiffing so much’. blood:'

'/Am.GLXBSE. J;-- -- ■" - .' ’V' r ( ; V~ V’V'^

'Versailles "dfr-November '.1706 I had ; to; laugh, ; dear Ameliese,- because 1
-you : firid;me;-gobd-fobking in the portrait foatT:sbht\fo'Hia Jfl»fe v -If'it -
great; fat; face, ;flat lips .and; small, narrow /eyes are things pf ' beauty, .
vtlienf I . certauily ;am good-looking, -arid ^getting more, so ; bvety : 0 dayj;
-since every day! grow, fatter. • - •- v <j

ff-;', Deafest Ameliesc-, we must; alljfoUoVi.ouf destiny; Mine ^'has'.led ifib tp.;;

.'.'/The Orlf aris anriy was destroyed by .-the Imperial Forces mder nieiMniin'andUf
. Prince Eugene of Savoy at. the Battle of Tprin 0117 September 1706.- . . . . . v

letters jrotii Lisetoffe

. 157

France, here I live and here I shall probably die. Germany is still
dear to me, and I am so little pari of France that t live out my life in
solitude in the midst of all the Court, but I sec that it Is God's will.

What foolishness to think that no pretty and elegant objects can be
made outside France. The very best of our craftsmen were amongst the
Protestants who were driven out, and it is obvious that it must be
possible so obtain equally heanteGd things w. Gettsony nov.\

Lviss

Versailles » December 1706 Thank you for sharing my pleasure in my
son’s arrival. Since lie lias been playing tennis again bis arm is much,
imp roved, he can move all his fingers and even phy the flute. And even
if one of Ids fingers is always stiff! it is to be counted for nothing
compared with what might have happened.*

Ameuese

Versailles 3 February 1707 I’m glad you liked the little silver box,
though it hardly deserve# die honour of being called a rarity. I see that
you and Luisc don’t exchange New Year presents, as this is the first
present you had tins year. Do you catry tobacco in your pocket?
I shouldn’t have thought so, it is an ugly habit, and I didn't imagine
tlwt you were so much h l a mode

I am glad you enjoyed yourself so much Tlut is more than I can say
of my life here. All the year round l cat my midday meal on my own,
and hurry through it as East as 1 can, because it' s annoying to cat by
oneself surrounded by twenty fellows who count every mouthful and
watch one chew. I never take longer than lialf-an-hour. In the evenings
1 cat with the King. There are five or six of us at table, but people
swallow their food without taking much notice of anyone else, it is
hke eating in a convent, and there is no conversation except for
occasional whispered words to a neighbour.

Sophie

Versailles J 0 February 1707 1 can't get used to the idea of die Elector of
Brunswick, whose birth and cluldhood I remember as though it were
yesterday, being a grandfather. 1 I am exactly eight years older than

* Hie field-surgeons bad been in favour of the immediate amputation of the hand,
*0 lijelorte** suspicion of doctors vni on« more shown to fee wcli-foundcd.

* Ceorge Louis of 1 lanovcr had become a grandfather through the birth of Frederick,
the future Prince of Wales, remembered « ‘poor Fred*.

128

Letters fi om Liselotte

he is; I was bom on 27 May 1652, and he on 28 May 1660. I
remember how I watched everyone rush about, worrying. Then. I ran
up to your room and lay down quite fiat by the door so as to hear
what was being said inside. Soon afterwards Frau von Harling came to
look for me and took me to you. The prince was being bathed behinda
screen, I looked all round at everything that was happening, and it
seems to me that I can see it yet. 1

Ambmese r " „

Versailles 27 March 1707 Although I have a dreadful cough and such a
cold that I can neither hear nor speak, I must write to you today to
correct a mistake that you made. I see you are under the impression
that my son is a prince of the blood, but that is not so. He is a Grandson
of France, which is the greater rank, with many more privileges.
Grandsons of France may salute queens, sit in their presence aiid ride
with them in their coaches. None of this is possible for princes of the
blood. They are served like les enfants de France, par quartier, they have a
master of the horse, a chief almoner, a chief controller of the household,
none of which princes of the blood have, nor do they have a bodyguard,
like my son, nor a Swiss guard; so you see there is a great difference in
everything.

I always like hearing how tilings are going in Germany. I am like an
old coachman who still takes pleasure in hearing the crack of the whip
even though he can no longer drive.

Sophib

Marly 21 July 1707 5 a.m. Here I sit, writing to you in my shift, for
at this - hour there is no danger of a surprise visit. The heat is so great
that even the very oldest can’t remember any tiling like it. You hear of
nothing but dogs and horses dropping dead, of labourers losing con-
sciousness and dying in die fields, and of huntsmen fainting and falling
like mosquitoes. We all stayed in our rooms, wearing nothing but
shifts, until seven o’clock yesterday. One had to change continuously,
I used up eight shifts in a single day, they were soaked. During meals
one wipes and wipes, it is terrible. If Spain is any hotter than this, my
son and his army will surely melt.

5 Liselotte often referred to the occasion of her cousin’s birth, remembering such
details as the doll in swaddling-clothes placed in a gilded urn on the terrace, and her
governess's efforts to convince her that it had grown there. ‘But,’ she said, *1 knew
better. Afterward they showed me die real prince. He was a beautiful child with large
eyes.’ 1

Letters/ -cm Liselctte

»3

Amhubse

TcntainebUiftt 14 September 1707 Naturally, I write more than one
letter a. day Nat a day passes when I don't write at least four, and on
Sunday soften twelve I am glad you arc hack from yout visit to Bnrns-
wtek, because nothing ts sadder than to see everyone depart and, he left
belli ml on one's own.

Many honest liv es arc being lost in the Turkish wars too I dunk
a general peace would, be the best thing Wherever you look, the
clerics arc corrupting the Christians with dietr quarrelling It nukes any
faith impossible, and if people lud. fault they would lead better, more
Christian lives

I expect you know that our princes aren’t leaving for the wars
Toulon lias been relieved without their help The French proverb says
‘Qw !Tepcinbrassc t tiial /front* They tried to gobble upToulou and Mar-
seilles in one mouthful, and failed on both counts r

Versailles 12 January 170 S My God how lucky you are to be able to
travel wherever you like there is nothing I like better than to travel

It did my heart good to hear you say that Heidelberg has been
rebuilt so well God save it from further disaster There is not so much
burning and scor clung as there used to be m M Louvois’ lifetime, and 1
hope it ts ill be safe

Please tell me wlierc you are lodged and winch street you arc in
And I should like to hear whether the H tub gen gene church and the
Neckar Bridge have been, rebuilt Why won t the Elector repair die
castle? Surely it would be worth, the trouble The air is good in Heidel-
berg but by die castle it is even better than m the town

Soririu

Versailles 2$ January 170$ S pm I came back here at three o’clock.
Before the meal I walked m the garden for a good hour, it was the
finest weather m the world The sun is so hot diat all the flowers are in
bud, the honeysuckle is quite green and the almonds and peach trees
am in full flower

East night die K-ing ate an omelette filled with tiny champignons
the son that are called meiisserons here They have never in living
memory been found until April or die end of March at the earliest.

I’m sure M de Louvois must be burning m die next world because

* The Marfdnt de T essi defeated the Imperial (brew m their tw o-pronged a track

igo 'Letters f rom Lisciotle

of the Palatinate, he was so horribly cruel and (Juke incapable of feeling
any pity. It seems to me that Villars 1 should ,be satisfied with what he
has collected from Germany already; no one in Prance' is richer than
he is. Heroes are greatly at fault when they are avaricious; sooner or
later it leads to trouble, as it must cause injustice, wliich does no one
any good. For this reason i don’t think tilings will end well for Milord
Marlborough.

Versailles 29 March 1708 We expect to hear any day now that our
young King of England has arrived in Scotland. 3 So far we only know
that His Majesty sailed with a good wind horn Ostend. A frigate that
encountered him off Dunkirk has brought die news that the whole of
Scotland has declared for him; he is expected with longing, and will be
proclaimed as soon as he disembarks. It serves Queen Anne right, she
Was so eager for war, and now she will have it.

Versailles 5 April 1 708 There is no news at all of our young King of
England, we don’t know what lias become of him. I was amused tliat
you called him King in partibus, like the bishops. But I should be
sorry if any tiling had happened to him. It would be too dreadful if lie
had been taken prisoner, and Queen Anne were to order the execution
of her own brother.

Versailles 13 May 1708 The King experienced a great loss last Friday,
he lost a good, honest man, the Confrolettr Acs Bailments, M Mansart.
On Thursday he was still with us, taking part in the promenade with
the English Court. He walked next to me until half-past seven. Then,
as he was very hungry, he begged leave to go home. When he got there
he drank a great deal of iced water and ate enormous quantities of all
. kinds of food: a ham omelette, green peas, strawberries, cream, cu-
cumber salad, theu drank more water, and so gave himself indigestion.
At two o’clock in the morning he had a stomach-ache, at six o’clock
that evening he was dead. The King loses much in this man, he really
knew his job. >

Versailles 9 June 170S Here comes die news that M d’Antin, the legal
and legitimate son of Mme dc Montcspan, is to have Mansart’s office,

-* Claude Louis Hector, Marcchal Due dc Villars, commander of Pouts’ Khinc army.

■ * The Old Pretender had, tried to return to England with die help of die French
Sect. He had hoped for a rising In his favour, but this did not materialize, and he was
back In France before the end of the month.

LcfUts from Li'tfoltc jjl

winch brings m 50 000 francs, and when die King spends icn million
on building the superintendent has one for himself is well m two or
three hundred to hand out m comnmstoro, Grom which he can draw
money To be Suunttntknl ties B tt intents 15 enw of the most profitable
positions at Court.

Pi Lice Eugene » fir too intelligent for you not to admire lum Since
y ou want to know why he used 10 be called Mme 1 ’Anaume and Mmc
Simon it was because these -were the names of two \cry common
whores {by > our leave, by > our Ica\ c) People used 10 say that he, too,
used to gived tout vaunt beau jat by acting the lad}, but he may have
lost the knack in Germany

Prince Eugene of Sasoy -was m Hanoscr on behalf of the Allies Has
military gaum which first attracted attention during the Turkish wars,
rather surprised the french Court, where he had been brought up
Lisetottc remembers him as a dirty thin little boy with straight, greasy
halt Nothing much had been expected of him. Had you seen him then,
> on wouldn’thm been surprised that our King didu t do very much for
lum, wrote Lisclotte to Sophie And later. The handsomest tlung
about him must be the diamond studded sword presented by Queen
Anne

Fontainebleau 1 August 17 os I knew that a battle* lud been lost but
didn’t know where. Now I do know but none of the details because
one mayn't discuss n here and the men who arc in the fighung aren't
allowed to write of it All our princes m the army arc unharmed, dunk
God, and have done well M de Vend time blames two of die Due de
Bourgogne’s people for the loss of the battle. He is a clever man and
his heart is m the right place, but he is always being accused of laziness,
and of lying in bed and by your leave, sitting on his dose-stool for
too much of the time It’s more than ten years since someone who saw
die Due de Bourgogne’s horoscope said tliat he would be unlucky m
war and lose a battle Funny, how. that’s come true People tall as
much about this battle as they do where you ate, but only in whispers
and not out loud

l-\rsailfes 20 September 17 oS The old woman is more horrible than
ever, and she is truiung the Duchessc de Bourgogne to be malicious
» The Butte of Ouienarde, ra. which Prmce Eugene and Matlbo rough crnce again
yenned forces to indict a era Jung defeat oft die Trench The Due de Bourgogne tod *
command under Veud&nw

£32

. and insincere. -The Duidiesse:de Bourgbgrie goes ^to Mass
great hood in 1 order to appear pious, Sand 'pretends £0 cry; at die . SaJut,'';.- i-
but she can drink two whole bottles o£ undiluted Wine j\yith'6ut,shoiv- .i'V
ing any effect, . and is such a coquette t hat she even runs after” her tmnr'- •
iettyer i So you see; The old woman, tells - the I^ig.-that -dife/Duch&s'':' '
has ho equal in piety and virtue, and he believes her faithfiiily- She as <; >
rude to me every single day. When I am about to help -myself ;at ’the • ■■ \
King’s table she has the dishes wliisked away from under- my nbsc^-.hidV;.'
when I call on her she looks at me. over her shoulder without a Hvdrd; : i\
■or laughs at me witli her ladies. The old woman has arranged dits-dh . :
purpose, in die hope of provoking me to protest, and tlidi : she will i : -
say that there is no living widi me and have me sent to MOntargis. But I
am up to. her tricks, I say nothing, do not complain,- laugh at whatever ' : ..5
they may do, and tell myself that she is not immortal, that everything:; ;
in the world changes, and dial dicy won’t get rid of me except by my
death.

Versailles 23 September 1708 Every evening Mme de Maintenon re- .
ceivcs five or six large packets from the Court spies, accounts of all ,
that goes on at Court. The spies arc all people of quality. Thctr under-,
lings, members of the Swiss guard, are posted by the doors, and observed. •/.;
all the comings and goings and who cats meat on fast-days. This : -
information is then placed on the lady’s dressing-table, and she. .mikes, -
use ofit to entertain the King. ■ ; < • . ;-v : . •

.Yesterday at supper 14 le Dauphin talked to me for the first time in a
long wliile. He told me about his new palace at Meudon. The panelling'
alone cost him 110,000 francs, quite apart from the building,- r which v,
cost three times as much. . He seems more concerned about disk thah-' : y;
. about what is happening in Flanders. 1 _ -c

'.-AMEtiESE -V y '•■ .

%ycrsailks;i Ddccthber i 708 I am;very busy to flay. We' have just arrived.;

> froth Miafly,- and today is die first . of December; First, we:hayhtnget:--
/ setded m/; .and., secondly, this is the day.when the creditors. cdme;£o;mli ;
--.for meir.mqney.Tliaye.akeady paid out jso pistoles.- . . . .

. We travelled: fronyMarly. in' the gentlest spring weather, •bat.tdda^vy
'■{i t;is ; .-bsgininhg to freezei; M le Dauphin remarked that hard, frost before :■?
.- Martinmas. mcans-a-mild-wintcr,- ' ’-'S’ -.‘.r , v» a- ,

was under .sicge,/nn<I ^iirrenclbr«3 t6' Marl-. - '•

h 3rd igli iid Eug >- n P ■ I 1

Letters front Liselortc rj3

Sophie

Ytt&iVcs 10 January <709 The cold is so gtun that words Cut me
1 am sitting in front of a roaring fire, there is a screen in front of the door,
my neefc is wrapped in sables and my feet are m a bearskin sack, but all
the same I am trembling with cold aud can hanll} liold my pen I
!uvc never known such a dreadful winter in all my life, the -wine »
frozen solid in the bottles

I must dunk you for the beautiful coins. I spend enure days poring
over diem Last Monday l bought 150 with the King's New Year
present, and now I Ime a cabinet of gold coins, a suit of emperors
from Julius Caesar to Uciacltus, with no gaps Amongst them tlicrc
arc some quite rare pieces tluit even the King himself hasn't got I got
them all quite cheaply, and now have 410 coins

In the morning of that same day Liselotte had written to Am these,

J It is so cold dm my ink is tununt* to ice, and I can fmdf > m©\ e although
my stove is blazing and I am stall in bed *

Amblifse

Versailles 19 Jan iar) 1 709 You hear nothuig but complaints about the
cotd, there lias not been such a winter in living memory During the
last fortnight people have been found dead of cold every morning and
the partridges are picked up frozen m the fields AU the plays hav c been
stopped and so have all die law-suits, for the judges and die ad\ocatcs
can’t sit in their clvambcrs because of die cold

Sonne

Marly 7 February 170$ We arrived here yesterday, although it is still
dreadfully cold. Last v. eekit began to thaw a little, but since Sunday the
frost has been worse than ever We had some music here last night, but
it didn't wo*k out very well, half die coaches couldn’t nuke their way
up here because die roads were coveted in ice A great many people
have broken their arms or legs

The Due dc Berry and die Due dc Bourgogne may have been
brought up together in die tame manner, but their characters are
entirely different. The Due do Berry is anything but pious He has no
consideration for God or man, no principles, and nothing worries him
as long as he can enjoy himself, it hardly matters how He loses
shooting playing cards, chatting to young w omen dev cud of common
sense* eating well, all that is much to Jus caste Skating mint be added
My son is very different He likes warfare, and understands it. He

134

[Leitersjrbm LiseJoffe,

' enjoys neither J«mtikg;“sliooting;hor gamfeliiig, but : l6yes'.all tlie,.arts
especially. pamtmg/Thepamters.“ say.tdiat'Iiis j udgenientls .veiy .go'dd; 1 ./;'/
He • loves chemistry, lie .loves , conversation arid;' talks bweffb'Hebhas.-
studied hard, atid.kndws.a lot .because his^memory-is^gpodbrie .joVesb;.’
music and he loves' women. I often wish there : ,were;.a;.1ittle; less.-b£die : 'b;
latter, because, it ; takes him into such bad conipariy- and . makes 'him ./,
ruin himself and Iris children. ■ . ' - ■ v

■Marly 1 ^February i 709 - The whole of Marly, great and siriall; conics !- ' ■
to me.widi condolences , 1 and those who don’t call wxitei Only Mine ae. ^
Maintenon, who lives no more than ten paces away,- hasn’t- called 6 r. /
•sent word. .. --X-

Ltjise - .■ [■':

Versailles 2 March 1709 The misery has hit die flour^niills ' tod; : ;and';
many, people in Paris have died of hunger. I was told such a . pitiable '
story yesterday, of a woman who stole a loaf of bread from- a baker’s (■'.
shop. The baker caught the woman, who said, weeping, ‘If you knew
. what misery we are living in, you wouldn’t take the bread away from : ' :
me. I have three children with no ciotlies, no fire and no bread, b f
couldn't bear it any longer, and diat’s why I took the bread,’. She liras'
taken before a commissionaire, who said, ‘Mind what you say, for fm ..
going back home with you’, and went along with her. In die room were. '/
dirce little children, dressed in rags, cowering in a corner trembling,-;.'
ydth cold. He asked the eldest, ‘Where is your fadier?’ ‘Behind .the ^
:'.dd 6 r,’ said the cliild. The commissionaire looked behind the door tq see
: .wlia't:tKe fadier was doing, and was horrified to find that the man-had 1 /,'
1 hanged himself ill desperation. i ' \

.; Versailles 20 April 1709, I do so. entirely agree with you, nothing iu'diis'. /.
jlife is more important than orie*s ; . health. Tell me, dear Luifo, wliat'do V'
: .thc .doctors cfill AmelieseVillhess?.! can imagine. how you-feelf it ;is.ay",
•' frightful-; thing to 'foe a. beloved sister suffer so.’ >1 -A?'. ""dH ■-
i^'Yquinustjriot: say ,‘by ^your. leave’ when. you .mention feet. That -is , .
/ coiisiderdd;: very; bourgeois -Kere./we; say ;‘feetV without- ^ariy ‘by .your-./
'.leaycV ' / ", - - ’ j ,

'■5 s ; ? ’ !His paihtiiigma’stcr Was\An toil le'Coypci .. ■ '

! ;y ? LtstfotfoV aun^ die>AbBe^ .of Maub'disson, had died at; the agd of eighty-six. ■ /*-'
d,* •Wh^'Liselofre^iises;tiiis i ..phrasc. as she .often docs, 'and' nearly. always twife oyer,/,,

• shd is usii%' it inrinverted conuiiasi 'quonhg.an;old Hdde|bcrg. nstaiMr,.whp’-ii^.t6V
ayin the hr >ac -,' 1 '• il Hr! H, 1 ; ; ’dot] . .

Letters fio>» Ltstfottc

135

Sophie }

Marly a May 1709 Queen Anne is certainly well advised not to ht
looking for a new husband From what I Juve heard of the tar one, so
far as his company and conversation -were concerned the Queen's loss
didn't seem, to he great- *

If all confessors resembled my First two superstition would soon be
abolished. But there must be vast numbers like my present one who
has die beliefs of an old nun He admires everything that is not admir-
able in this religion but he Can't make me change my views I tell him
that I won’t be persuaded against my better judgement and we have
many a quarrel though we always remain good friends, u religion
apart, he is the best, most honest man on earth

Next Saturday will see the arrival of a certain tidy, Frau von
Hathsimsliauscn I hope slie will bring me new anecdotes to pass on
ti you, for here you hear of nothing but sadness how bread is dearer
every day, how people arc dying of hunger

Versailles 19 May 1709 Our Kmg m Spam has assured all lus subjects
that lie will live and die amongst them, white they have promised His
Majesty to fight for him to their last breath. This King it seems will
not be dedironed easily

Versailles 23 Af«iy 1709 If the famine gets any worse perhaps they v» lit
send all the extn mouths away including me Then 1 would come to
you for you would not let me want for bread I wish l could say there
was no famine here, hut tt is, alas only too true

The terrible winter, the famine ( Theysay dial htifc children. are devour
ulg each other’) and the ruinous war led France to sue for peace The
Allies agreed to negonatc only on condition that Louis himself removed
Philip from the throne of Spun While ora King could tnake las
grandson accept the kingdom of Spam ’ wrote Litclotte he cannot force
him to leave it when his subjects want to keep him 4 Lotus refused the
Allies demand. saying, that lffi^it he must, he would Gcht his enemies
rather than his own flesh and blood

k'erjiiiHci $ June 1 709 The King has sent all his gold tableware to the
mint Golden dishes, set with diamonds and rubies extremely beautiful
the iief where the napkins were kept of the finest possible workman-
ship, cverytlung every dung is melted down. Maiw of die courtiers
1 Prince George of Denmark had d «l m 1708

i3<S - . /. ,:: r <'••••• jjfijgfe fe

have sent the King their silver plate,] aiid will eat qff.e^henwMe-hdw’
The Comte de Toulouse alone sent zoo, oqo fr^ira’ wordi^ the.Duc'de
Gramont was the first to send. I shan’t follow his examplcjfor I have toi> ...
litde silver to amount to anything' much, hut so that no‘ one-can:Say I-
flout the King’s wishes I no longer eat off gold, :oifly sflver ; I : ha^e.tioi ' ,

gold on my table at all. ' ■ 'r/£

A few weeks later Madame writes, ‘My son has given all hisjgoldplaie'^' ;.
and some ofhis silver, but not all. He has, to.be sure, spent such a fortune '
on his campaigns that they ought to be very grateful.’ '

Luisu ■ " ■ •

Marly 15 June 1709 The Allied proposals are really too barbaric/- '
Better to go to rack and ruin than accept such conditions. I can!t think v
how anyone could have imagined that our King would agrpe. Since, • :
as the proverb has it, pride comes before a fall, I hope the insolence pf"£
Milord Marlborough and Prince Eugene won’t go unpunished/ ;TKc;, V
latter would do well to remember tliat France is his modicr. cotmtr^.'V
and tli at he was born die King’s subject. I am really angry widi him for ]:
having prevented the peace. .];;

I often reflect how strangely Our Lord divides His good gifte.]YpU
two have your freedom, but you arc ill; I on the other hand. live in;
slavery, but am hale and hearty.

There has been a lot of news during die last week. The Minister of -
War, who is called M de Chamillart, has been dismissed, and liis place: ;.;
has been filled by a Councillor of State, the Surintenddnt of St Cyr.! 1 /
. This shows who was behind it. I am sorry about M Chamillart’s mis-
fortune because he used to do his best to please me. This new one rtiky
Swell do the opposite in order to pay court to his bcncfactrcssi ' ' /

Versailles, 1 3 July -lyop I foci irritable today, I have so many disagree-;',
able things onLmy inind. My treasurer has robbed me abominably; arid : 1
this lias given 111c a lot of work. People here are really too full of self;,
interest. It coiries'irpm all ‘this .buying-, and selling of appomtmerits ( in
rfiie.eiid it . makes villains of them all.- . -

. ’ M Aybust.had defrauded Liseidtte. of 50,000 thaler.' He' threw hims elf 'j
^ -.'.out ofa /second -fibor wmdbw to escape arrest, and later .died from liis;-;' %•
■, S injuries, 1 /too squashed tblive’.v. : .• Y v‘ •.

S' Thehey? Mihist^.pf-Warwas'Daniei Francois Vobm, •; .r-jr : :

Letters from TMehtlc

*17

The buying and selling of appointments (called d jrjfj) greatly pre-
judiced the loyalty of servants, who did all they could to clinch them-
selves while they were m office. The charges died with the employ ers,

-*■ but the employees as a matter of right, collected the objects und-r
their care.

„SomtB

Versailles 15 August 1 709 I have had a new carnage only four tunes ut
all iny ddcty~cight years tn France, but all die linen it renewed ever}
four years, and the old things go to the first woman of the bedchamber
There is nothing that one can traly call one’s own Linen, nightshirts
and petticoats belong to the woman of the bedchamber, and the dome
iTcwirr takes possession of my clodics from one year to the next, as
"well as all my lace, the carnages aie die property of the premier icuytr,
and when I die all my silver goes to the premier ynaltred'hStcl unless he is
paid the equivalent in money

Versailles 2X August 1 709 ‘When I came through die Porte St HonOr£
just now I saw the people rushing about they looked terrified, and
there were cries of VIA man DieuC Every window was black with
people, some of them had climbed on to the roofs, and down below
the shops were being shut up and doors locked Even the Palais-Roy al
was closed

I couldn’t think what it all meant but when l reached the inner
courtyard a woman, a complete stranger, came up and said, ’Did you
know, Madame, that there is a revolt m Pans 5 ’ I thought she must be
out of her mind, but she said 'I’m not mad, Madame It’s true — so
true, in fact, that forty people have been killed already ’ When l
asked my people jf this was true they said, ‘Only too true*, and that
was why they had closed the gates of the Palais-Roya!

I asked what had caused the revolt It was because the labourers
working Cm St Martin’s wall liad cadi been promtsed three sous and a
loaf of b'Cad. There had been two thousand of them, but that morning
there were suddenly four thousand people demanding money and
bread m no uncertain terms

When supplies ran out, an especially insolent woman was arrested
and put into die pillory That started the uproar Sudden!) there were
sis thousand people The woman W 3 S dragged from die pillory A
lot of servants who had been dismissed from their posts joined in,
shouting for loot, and broke into the bakers’ shops which they plund-
ered The soldiers were called out to fire at the mob, but die people

'.Letters JrbfH\Lise}btie :

*38

soon, noticed .that they .were shooting only to' j&igliteti, and that ftheef
was no. lead in the muskets. The. rioters called, -.‘Tet iis a^cfc tlierrijl’,
their guns aren't loaded;’ .This .forced; the soldiere h?rshoot;s 6 iheVdf - v
them down. This went on : front' four o clock -in/tlie/ morning, -xintiV:v
about midday. " : V.'.y

The Marechal de BonfBers and the Due de Gramoht happened to
drive by while tile revolt was taking place and die stohes weirc .flying:-
They alighted, addressed the mob, threw down some money, and • ’
promised to tell, the King that die. men had been, prorhised bread'
and pay which they hadn’t been, given. Instantly, the tumult /died dovhi, : !
and people threw their hats up in the air, crying. ‘P'iye le rot ef dti pain , J '
Aren’t they good, die Parisians, to calm down so quickly? ;■
Yesterday, when they held their market, all was peacc&l, but ’dearly '■
though they love their King and the royal home thcyhateMme fle -
Maintenon. I needed a breath of fresh air because it was ho t in my lo'Wr. ;
ceilinged- closet, but I had hardly appeared when a whole crowd’ dfi
peoplecollected; dieyshowcrcd me with blessings, but spokeso horribly .
of the lady that I was forced to return indoors and close my windows. '
They shouted that dicy wanted to get their hands on her and .burn, her
for a witch. /• :/ •

Luise

Marly 31 August 170 $ I wish to God, dear Luisc, that there ’ were
something I could say to comfort you . 1 Poor Amcliese often' delighted
me with her letters, she used to write so amusingly and naturally, I, was : ’
so. fond of her. .b^y"

V ;I .think you are quite right not to have her opened up. /We /only',
.die when our hour has come, and not before, and there is.no evidence.;
that a single. life has yet been saved, though so many people are being;
/opened up now. I have forbidden it in my will. • -

Versailles 1 ^September 1 769- ...You .will now -have many companions in
■ grief. Four days.ago out troops :1 osfc a battle hear. Moils;* but this time'
/they defended /thcinselves so valiantly that' there - were a great ihany-;
: d cad oh- bo tib sides.; You see nothing but sadness and tears!-. /,

; •VX’^^.'foifthc/.afEair- of my treasurer will not he. settled /withquHoss.:
/.tomyself/.becausc the r ogue has stolen more.than he can ever. pay. back.,:

';'‘/ *cThc'Raagtavihe Athclicse voh.Degcnfeld -had dicd in Juh% and of the:Elcctors
'-rSiahy'clilldrcn'ohlypselqtte ahd'Ijiisewere srilHiving. ,

» j ■' • lyKlplaqtf ct,.- wfcens ‘.Yulatt and BoufHcrs were beaten by Milborough,' and ■
,/Eugrae;'oa/iV ; Seyti^iber.T 7 qpl:*fliere/w;cre 33 ,o 6 o.casija!tJcs. .- ‘

Letters from ListloMe

My son, far from being able to advance me any money, can't evt n give
me what he owes me He has almost ruined lumself with his Spanish
campaigns He had to use his own money, u is dreadful what he spent
The- Kang never sent him a peony Everything— journeys, campaigns,
"sieges— every thing was at fus ow n expense

Never m my life have 1 seen such wretched. miserable times God
grant that a good peace may change all due.

Sonins 1

VerS Julies 2$ September 1709 It h very true that the lady 1 is die cause
of the universal misery The fanune is so great that you see people
drop dead of hunger, there is grief and suffering everywhere, it affects
the greatest and die lowest

The court is filled with intrigue some to gam the powerful ladys
favour, some M le Dauphin’s, and others die Due <lc Bourgogne’s
It is a great muddle, and I can say m the words of the song ‘Si on ne
mouna t pas dc faun, 1 1 m faudratt trottnr de rxtt

kttiSE

Versailles 26 October 1709 These are indeed sad times As soon as you
leave the house you are followed by the poor, black, with hunger
Everyone is paid with notes now, there is no mom.) anywhere.

SophiC

Versa dies ip Janu irj *7/0 You probably know that the Due dc
Bourgogne is so pious tlut he won’t look at anyone but lus wife
To tease him, she once asked Mme dc la Vrillicre’ to get into bed
in her place The Ducliessc pretended to be very ttred that evening
He was delighted to find her ready for bed first for once, and un-
dressed as quickly as possible When he came into die room he asked,
‘Where is madamc’’, she answered ‘Here from behind the curtain, and
tic Hung off Ins dressing-gown and leapt into bed As soon as lie was
under die bedclothes she came out and made a great pretence of being
angry ‘You claim to be devout,’ she said, *yct here you are, between
the sheets with one of die prettiest ladies in die kingdom *' He asked
her what she was talking about. She totd him to take a look at the
person who was lying beside him, and he fell into a fury He took his
T>ed warmer* hy the shoulders and threw her out of bed, without

' Mice dc Mumoinn, who in Lisclotie's opinion vai miking a fortune out of the
‘hortagrt b) fury ing up food And jclimg it to die army « extortionate paces
1 Frai fouc «Jc M-utly, Marqime dc la Vhiiiire

149

^eifers^romJUMiitie,

^giving her, time to; catch- her- breath - oh put on fet- slip^eK? ; ^eh" liei '
set aboil t-her .with liis. own uppers;: -She escaped barefoot, '.he coulclii’ti. -
catch her,- .but called- her. every- sort, of fiaihe-&ejfroiit£e -and' ttflaiw , were /•
the least of them: .They tried to .calm-liim,; buf they wefeilaughihg sd : '
much that they could hardly speak. In the end he cooled -down.

A few days: ago, -when the Matdchale'de Coeuvfes' trjedfp'kissrhiih.-
he defended himself with all his. might. When he~saw hc was losihg thc ';.
struggle he stuck a pin into her head so hard that she has had tokefepto/,
her bed ever since. Even Joseph himself didn’t go to such, lengths— he :
only ran away and left his coat behind, but neither did he flail about him .
nor jab pins in. Such chastity as this -has not been Seen before;,' , ;

tUISB

Versailles 26 January 1710 We have a charming novelty .here, a' picture :
that a Carmelite made for the King. In case you don’ t - know . whaVsC'-
Carmelite is, it’s a kind of monk. He is called Pere. Sebastien.-and/he:,
made this picture with more than a hundred pieces that can", be inbved;
about. Women wash and beat their laundry, men chop woodland shoe -:
their horses, and two of them are sawing. Others, in carriages, ; hrfo
saluting: one waves his hand, another pulk off his hat. A beggar doffs his ;
hat and begs, and when die people have passed by he puts it'oh agaih; .

Liselotte goes on to describe how ladies in a coach cross, d 'tndgcriiid.j';
. acknowledge greetings with bows. Above the castle-gate a clockkeep'i .

' .proper time. There arc windmills and a watermill, aiid ship s in full sail
- move across the sea in the background. It must have been toys Iike. thisK; 1 -'

that made Liselotte say later, ‘Oh, that the King were still alive IiTiicre
.. Was ^something interesting to see every evening, for whatever, was new.;,'':

• hid pretty, was sent to Court for us to-admirc.’ . ;

VersaillesjJPebniary 1710 My grandson is too delicate, I, don’t thitA.
he wiiflive.fong.^Though lie may be large for his age, hd is altogether.'
: fob .weak andsickly. I prefer 'children- to -be a little headstrongj .diat is a
;sign of intelligence. . i-r ■ - - ■) i.:- 1 -';,

Uf.T nevei boxed niy s6n’s . ears when he wa s small;- ■ though I whipped "
:iHhn.'s6;moybuglrfy.'diat-lie remembers it- today.' A-box oh the.ekr can bfe
(dahgero.iisy as i't.-inay mjhre die;head>- •: /'• ‘ ;';dV y' - . ;

-FR'EIHBIUt' V.ON---HARLING. : . * * ’ 'X V. i,^y.

, ^cn'alll&'if^ehnicaJ'.J 710 j ] Of - course I remember ..the-good ^Meyer-'
:"arid:alljibr stdnesy.ai'id^ IfowT-once thrust a brand-hewcandle-trifomer;

Letters j htlt Lrselcfte j. 14 r

into her behind (by your leave, by >our leave) Time make no apology
for .reminding me of the old days, there u nothing I hke better dun
thinking of diem 1 was never hippier dun in Hanover

Further tomboy uh deeds came to Tasclotte* * mind around this period
‘Stones over fifty years old, mv God, how quietly time passes and
everything changer That must have been the house where t once
shot one of the maids in die behind with an arrow from my crossbow,
which caused a great row, but a thaler soon calmed every dung down
again * And, ‘f f dungs are still done m Hanover as they used to be, you
will have found the church filled with flow ers and foliage I always used
to get into trouble because I could never resut mating the foxgloves
diet/

Sophie

Versailles 3 March 1710 I once had an amusing conversation with the
poor Archbishop of Rheims 1 As you know, he used to be premier
due et pair Once, when we v\ ere walking together in the val at St
Germain, lie said to me, ‘It seems to me, Madame, that you don t think
too highly of us, the French dukes, and have a much luglicx opinion of
your German princes * 1 answered, quite drily, ‘Tint is so * ‘If you don’t
want to compare us to them, who would you compare us to*’ ‘To die
pashas and viziers of Turkey/ I replied ‘How is that 5- ’ he asked, and
1 sat d, 'Like them you have all died igm tics but no birth The King has
nude > ou what you are, just as the Great Turk created his pashas and
viziers But onr German princes arc made only by God and their
mothers and fathers, so there can be no comparison What is mote,
they axe free while you are subjects’ I thought die poor man would
jump out of his skin, he was so furious

Versailles p March 1 71 0 It is hardly surprising that the Due dc Berry is
like a child He never talks to ctes cr people, but sticks day and night m
the Duchessc de Bourgogne’s apartments, -where he plays the lackey
for the ladies They make him fetch and carry for them — dieir work,
their little tables, whatever it might be — and while they ate lying eri
feharpe in armchairs or on divans he stands, or sometimes sits on a small
tabouret

Versailles $ April 171c 1 assure you dm even at Mass there arc dis-
tinctions of rank For example, onh dic/eWcsJiWtj dc Trance base die

* tx Tether, Ixjuvou’ brother, who had died on February 23rd.

lip

Letters from Liseloltc

right to have clercs dc chapelle to make their responses and hold the
torch from the sanettts in the preface to the demine, non sum digitus.
The princesses dit sang may not have torches or separate clercs, and
have their responses made by pages instead. And at the end of Mass the
Host only goes to be kissed to the enfants dc France, and the goblet is
not offered to the princesses du sang, either. So you see, there is something
worldly in spiritual affairs; and should, matters fail to have the desired
effect on our Lord, a worldly purpose always remains and all is not
lost.

Versailles 27 April 1710 New medals are rarer than antique -ones,
which I often find in. Paris. If that rogue of a treasurer hadn’t robbed
me, I could buy any number of gold medals, but as it is I can’t buy
more than five or six at a time. Still, I manage to add to my cabinet
every month. To begin with I only had 160, now I have 511, and I
hope in time to have a fine cabinet full of rare medals.

I don’t think there can be a country in the world where die people
revolt as often and as easily as England. The Germans love their
masters more than other nation, and the French, while fond of saying
and singing every kind of slander, allow them to do as they like.

Marly 5 June 1710 The Duchcsse de Bourgogne came rushing into
my room with her husband and all her ladies and cried, ‘Madame,
we bring you die Due dc Berry, the King has just announced diat he
is to marry Mademoiselle.’ I said to the Duchesse dc Bourgogne,
‘Now that 1 am at liberty to speak let me assure you, Madame, that I
shall be eternally grateful for all the trouble you have taken in this
matter’, and to the Due de Berry, ‘Come, let me embrace you, because
you are now more than ever what Mmc la Dauphine used to call you.’
His mother always called him ‘le Berry de Madame’, as he well knows.

The proposed marriage between the Due de Berry and her son’s eldest
daughter was no surprise to Liselottc, who had been informed of it by
the King under Seal of secrecy. 'With this marriage, each of the King’s
grandsons now had a wife who was a granddaughter of Monsieur. The
Queen of Spain and the Duchesse de Bourgogne were the children of his
younger daughter by his first wife, and the future Mmc de Berry was the
eldest daughter of the Due d* Orleans. The Duchesse de Bourgogne had
been largely responsible for this project, and this was why she was the
first to announce the neyvs. The King and the Daupliin arrived soon
afterwards, followed by the whole of Marly, offering congratulations.

,, Lett ers J ram Lischtte 143

** foftiti lies 29 June 1 7W You 3CC vcty kind to share in our joy, which is
considerable, in my grandchild's matrugc. My son is busy with his
daughter's finery, just like the late Monsieur. There was a funny
scene that made me laugh. I expect you remember die splendid
diamond earrings, a mass of diamond drops, that Monsieur used to
own, $mce his death Mmc d’Orl&nu has worn them all the time, but
tny son intended to give them to his daughter. When he handed diem
over and the mother realized he was in earnest, she began to weep
bitterly. The daughter, seeing her mother cry, brought them back at
once The mother was all smiles, but when die daughter saw that die
mother meant to keep them she burst into tears My son and I laughed
so much that we nearly split our sides.

Lujse 4 t

Versailles 5 July 1720 Tonight at 5 o’clock the betrothal and signing
of die contract will take place m the Kang’s closet Mademoiselle my
grandchild will not be a Royal Highness until tomorrow, today she is
still wMettC SMttissuiu, for Altesse Roy ale goes noiurtha: than the grand-
son and granddaughter of France. Ail the odiers arc only ‘of die blood',
and not royal highnesses but only serene.

Marly 24 August 17 to Since yesterday it lias been quite cool, but we
don’t dunk die grape harvest will be spoilt Of course I know that
hops, not vines, arc grown m Hanover What do you drink dierc, beer
or wine? When t was there t used to drink small beer, but towards the
end of my stay l drank a little wine, which agreed with me very well
Since we arrived here last Wednesday we have been out stag-
hunting twice. I went in a caliche and the young men were on horse-
back. My goodness, how every dung changes! When I was young I
, should never luve dreamt diat 1 shouldn’t mind watching people ride
without feeing able to join them. Now I don't care a straw, and lordly
remember that I ever sat on a hone.

Sophie 1

- Marly 13 November i?u> It b die foolishness of Frenchwomen that
they always stick m dark corners. Mmc dc Main tenon has had proper
hide niches built, which she uses when she lies down She lias made a
sort of house round a small divan, a pavilion of boards tliat can be
closed up tight. The Duchessc de Bourgogne has one, and so has die
Pnneesse de Conti. K should, suffocate if I had. to sit or lie in such a

144

Letters from Lisclotte '•

Luise v v

Versailles 1 4 December 1710 TheDuchesse de Berry fainted dead away, !
We thought it was a stroke, but when the Duchesse dc Bourgogne '
poured some vinegar over her face she returned to her senses and began -
to vomit abominably. Small wonder, after hours of continuous stuffing
during the play — pilches an caramel, chestnuts, a confection of red-

currants and cranberries, dried cherries with quantities of lemon ’

and then she ate some fish for supper and drank on top of that. She felt
sick, tried to keep it back, and fainted. Today she is well again, and -
although I tell her she is bound to make herself very ill ‘one day with -
all that terrible overeating, she won't listen.

Sophie ' - '

Versailles 23 December 1710 The King is more charmed than ever with ,
his little old sweetheart; everything is done through her, and everything'
goes Uke the old lady’s figure, crooked and crisscross. She, has every
intention of feathering her own nest, makes money out of everything > »
she docs, and is teaching the Duchesse dc Bourgogne die same trade. *
Also, she knows all the State secret s and communicates them to the v ’
Duchesse de Bourgogne; this is why nothing remains secret for long.

The Dauphin is still in love with his Choin ; 1 1 am sure he must have
married her. She is a clever woman and takes care never to appear at
Court, as she would then be under tbc thumb of her step-mother-in-
law. She only shows licrsclf to the Duchesse dc Bourgogne and her
favourites, but has her creatures everywhere. They form a cabale in op-
position to the odier two, so the Court is now divided into dirce parties."

Also we have a comedy in our own house. My son lias such a passion
(in all honour) for Iris daughter that she rules him as surely as the
Maintenon the King and the Choin the Dauphin. But my son’s wife, >
who is selfish, ambitious and scheming, has grown jealous. Now the
two of them try to make one another appear ridiculous, which, would
be funny enough to watch if only it were not so close to home.

My son comes to me at eight or nine o’clock in the evening, and
sometimes his wife comes too. Afterwards I go to eat with the King,
but I often have to wait because he and the entire royal family are at
Mme de Mamtenon’s. This waiting about is tedious. After suj?per we

1 Lisclotte says ofMarie Emilie Joiie dc Choin, ‘She looked like a bull-terrier, with
short legs, round face, upturned nose, and a large mouth filled with rotten teeth which
stank to high heaven. You could smell her right across thexoom. Shehad monstrously
large breasts which Seemed to charm Monscigncur, as he used to beat on them as if
they were ketdedrums.'

Letters front LisehtU 1

-always go straight to the King’s room and stand there in rank and file"
, until every one of the royal ladies has arrived. Then the King makes his
great bow and takes the whole royal party into Ids closet, and I have to
,go home..

‘ - At table the King doesn't speak at all except when he wants to be
'kind to someone, and then he will offer some dish and say, ‘&t van leas-
vous?’ He Is soil supposed to show some of his old gaiety in his closet,
but I see none of it. Three or lour days may pass without Ins speaking
to me at all; he only bows.

A forty xi January l?Ji I remember that in Hanover Christmas was
always celebrated for three days. I am sure die box trees must have been
- decorated with candies for your grandchildren. How I should have
loved to sec it. Here they have no idea of it at all I wanted to introduce
it, but Monsieur said, *Vmt vaults »»ris dernier (it ves modes aUmattdes
pour it ousjaire la dipcvse t jc votu baist its mams.* 1 love seeing children
enjoying themselves, but my son’s children enjoy absolutely nothing.

I never saw such children in all my days.

The Due dc Berry u very much in love with (us wife, but since she is
certainly no beauty l*m afraid it won’t last.

Marly 5 February XT it There is no conversation anywhere. They may
be talking to one another at Meudon, but the Dauphin hardly ever
opens his mouth, and I’m sure die King counts his -words and takes
care not to exceed die number. There is 110 conversation at St Cloud
either. My son doesn’t go there any longer, ami tile ladies arc so
frightened of giving offence diat they don’t talk of anything but
clothes or gambling, which seems rather boring to me

Luke

Versailles ZS February 17H Here is a bottle of the bcume hlanc. I
knowscvcral ladies who put this white balsam, which £s prepared with
ejpn'r-df~w«, on their frees.

Wtorentrea xraiitti to tcJo toir® tm rcty ‘Tuxt tmee, bail -c.r/cMcn't ’in
Jum. I’d rather put up with all my wrinkles than have white messes
smeared over my free. I hate paint, and can’t endure rouge either.

Versailles 5 April 17 u My breath, is shorter dun ever it was, and all
that kneeling during Holy Week, didn’t do my knees much good. But
one must be patient. 1 treat my knees with nothing but English plaster,
which is supposed to be beneficial ; it is more convenient than ointment

%^iMrsJroin%m}qtfe

, * 4 ^

Sophie' ,

■ Marly 16 April 1711 / I niusttell you of die great sorrdw tliat'Kai’byer- ’:■/

whelmed the whole-of France, and all pfus here— the Daupiiiu-s dfcathj V' ■
which was quite unexpected. - ■' y : V/iTy Thy Tv---/;

I told you last Sunday that he had die smallpox and 'that things Were'.; ' V.
going well; diere was every hope of his complete recovery. These hopes^., v
continued until Tuesday morning, and when the . people, of Paris;: who :■ V
adore the Dauphin, sent a deputation of. fishwives to embrace jiim and ;
tell him -that 'they were planning to have a Te Deum'sung for lum-he:' . ■
said, ‘Not yet, wait until I am quite well again/; .1

Tlie same day I went to Meudon, to congratulate the King hecaUse -
the Dauphin was getting on so well. I arrived at' S: o’clock ih ' dic // .
evening, and because I knew tliat die King was ill GguucU-I walked- V.:.
in die garden until the meeting was over. Then I went to tlie : King,
who received me very graciously. He was in a very good humour,
reproached me for having complained so much when I had smallpox
and said that M le Dauphin was not in any pain. I said that was still to
come, and the spots were bound to become inflamed, which- would
be painful.

At six o’clock, just as I was about to leave, word came ’ that, the
Dauphin was restless and that his head was swelling. Everyone thought
dus was the beginning of the suppuration, and considered it a good y.
sign. When I arrived at Versailles the entire English Court called, and
left again at 8 o’clock. At nine there came news that all was well, but ,
at ten dierc was a message that M lc Dauphin was growing restless; His y
face was so swollen that it was unrecognizable, and the pocks VenT
gathering on' his eyes. This didn’t seem alarming; I had' my supper as
usual at ten o’clock, at eleven I was still chatting to the Marechale.de/
Clerembaulti and then I meant to say my prayers aiid go to bed; - V 1
,'v At midnight. I was surprised, to see the MatecKale- come' .back. ; ' y
She ;was quite stunned, arid told me that the Dauphin was at death’s
fdbor,.and diat die King was at diis moment passing .thrpiigh.yersfi]Ies'.- : ,
oiithe^way to; Marly, and die Duchessede Bourgogne had called fophefy;
carriage to follow him. Immediately afterwards the message caine .that ;

- all .was over, . and the, Dauphin was dead; r ■*-'•/ V- "/ y.-

■ ">Y6ii >can- miagiiie the ghastly shock! ;I ' dressed-.quicHy arid rushed \

rfoVer -fo die DuclieKefie Bourgogne; There 1'fpund file most harroWing -
-spectacle; - The., Due' arid Duchesse. . de. Bourgogne /were’ completely./
/dazed/ .ahdypale ;as;dcadi. .Neither ; of .'theni'-uttered'd., singleWord;.;-..
/The ;£>fic ’ and-^Dfichi^se-de' -Berry; were lying oil itliC; floor : widi- their ;
/elbows , on a- divaii/ sobbing 'so-loiidly that - i&ey could heheafil y

Lcttcrt from Lisehtte

rooms away My son and Mme d'Orlians wept silently and did what
tliey could to calm the Due and Duchcssc dc Berry All the ladies
sitting on the floor around the Dtichcsse dc Bourgogne were weeping
too I accompanied the Due dc Berrv and hu wife to their apirtmcnts
and tliey went to bed, but didn’t stop crying Mme la Dtichcsse de
Bourgogne liad told me as I went out that die King had forbidden any
of us to leave for Marly tlwt night, we were to go the next mom mg
Ic was half-past two by the time I was back m my room and m bed,
but 1 only slept for an hour, between five and six. At seven I got up
again, and dtovc here at half-past eight

Wlicn t arnved everything was stilt quiet at die King’s I went to
Mme dc Mamtenon, who told me that at ten o'clock they still lud
hope, but at half-past ten things had changed and dcadi appeared
imminent, so they quickly sent out for Extreme Unction and that die
King was eating his dessert when diey told Kira You an imagine die
King’s shock. He wanted to go straight to die Dauphin’s room, but
they restrained him Hi- immediately sent for his coach bat before he
had entered it with Mme de Mamtenon, Mme la Duchcssc and the
Pnnecsse dc Conti, poor M le Dauphin had gone Immediate!) after his
death he turned pitch black, wluch shows that he had had purple fever
as well as smallpox Every dung had stayed m his head, there were no
pocks at all on his body, but the nose was quite filled with them so
thathe actually suffocated and at once began to stink so abominably that
they were obliged to take his body straight to St Denis without any
ceremony

I saw the King y esterday at eleven o’clock His grief would melt a
stone He acts with such patience speaks to everyone with such
gentleness and gives all his sad orders with such firmness yet all die
while lus eyes fill with tears and he ts clicked with sighs I am terribly
afraid he will fall sick himself he looks so ill I pity him from die
bottom of my heart. The people who thought they were doing me
great harm by estranging tne from die Dauphin ha\i. now perhaps
saved my life, because, if we had still been on the same terms as we
were before Monsieur died l might now have fallen ill or e% en died of
grief but as it is I bear the misfortune with equanimity and worry
only about the Kmg, of course, l am very sorry about M le Dauphin,
only T cannot gneve over someone who didn’t lot e me m die least and
entirely forsook me, as I would over someone who had always been my
friend In the meantime, 1 have been told how dungs arc to be with the
new Dauphin the former Due dc Bourgogne He is not to be called
simply Monsagneur, like his father, but Mormeur when one talks to

\^fe?$/rbm;Liseloiie:

'148

■ him and M'le DaupHin.wKen one speaks ,o£ hiin. "When i oiVe^ymites' to "
' him, however, the

I am not skilled ih' the art '.of saymg much in a Fe^' wbr^fw^itHii'-
why I write such long letters: - ' .

Marly 18 April If if All Paris and. the. provinces -are in'^despaid-ife-
must have heen a dreadful poison that -killed --me^odf .friafrhtecahsb'
they told me yesterday that when he died black vapours. ^ere.S&in'-
coming from his mouth, and his face turned, and. remained, pitch-black'.

Marly 26 April 1711 Last nightaround midnight we had the hews that
the Emperor- died of smallpox on the 17th of this month; What a good '
thing it would be if this could bring us peace. Time will tell ;wliat-tvill-'
become of that. There is nothing but sadness bn all sides. -•

Joseph I’s death was a turning point' in the war of the Spanish [succession. 1
The Allies’ candidate, the Archduke Charles — at present in. Madrid as
Carlos 331 — was obliged to return to Vienna to 'succeed his brother, as
Charles VI. To see Spain governed from Vienna was" as unpalatable' to ;
England and the United Provinces as to see her, as it were, ruled frbm;- ■

; Paris. * ■ . .

Luise • ... ~ 1 ;:?:' -;•

Marly 7 May .1711 Never has there been so much smallpox about 'as
there is now. All my grandchildren in Lorraine are.ill, at least tHe' twb
- hoys aild the eldest girl are. . •:= ' .-’..’vX- C

f. '-AmOhg; the- common people there are sdll a .few -who. ;loy,e;their:
wives. .For; instance, one of my lackeys here wasniarried'.td.oneofthe-
Ugliest , women' iii die world. She.had the voice of a.duck dnd the. face
of a squashed toad; she was wider than she was tall, but ill spite of all
that die.poor -mail is hi despair because she, died; last, week.: y <? ' o}y

Sophie; ", o-'- ■ ■■■ - •-■o;.

yMariy g iyfay-ijii - You are- -very right wiien-ypu-say ;'that:'th6.’King;'
•’ has 'good, ,’caiise :tb regret M le .Dauphin ; he; always" behaved, perfectly .

oto’.die- Eihg,;'nb : soh ;cbuId : haye'shovrii grater respectj'-6bediehcc;tod;

;'filial :lqye/qhe-l^;;td';admit mat: this 'h : also'the;hest'.thhig;diat cua-l)? 1 ;
f saidhhbddhim. If I; could friid:die' .opportunity tovtalk .fo.vthehdngV.d.
'f^qi^d.'iqSrtsu^y^de^&iyp^'-^ndpIaices,' hut it' is difficidt-at -tehle,;

jMters from Usetaiie n ./ ,149

because His Majesty doesn’t ny a single word and nobody speaks
‘ out, and that is the only time 1 ever see him. -* ' }

-The late M 1 = Daupliin had never thought himself healthier: Mme
la D u chcsse has not yet go t over it at alL, nor lias the Princessc dc Conti;
Mile tie Cliom is supposed to be very sad. The King is giving her a
pension of 12,000 francs and she is keeping her house in Paris. The
Dauphin lias a bastard-daughter, never recognized, by the actress , 1
she’s notv a girl of seventeen or eighteen. — lace and figure lovely as an.
angel— -and she’s in despair. He liad her called Mile dc Fleury, because
there is a village of that name in the park at Meudon
There is not much love lost between tnc and the present Dauphin,*
but he b very polite to me, which is all I ask of him. His wife, too,
h more polite dun she used to be. Since the bedding of the Due dc
Berry she lias changed very' much for die better, and lives on good
terms with her husband. He is not so much ugly as ill-made, he limps
and is hunch-backed, but lus fo.ee is not bad, he lias fine eyes with
intelligence in them, and very beautiful hair like a periwig; it is true,
he is a bit too bigoted, but at least he doesn’t preach.

I have this moment received the sad news that my daughter's eldest
son and dear second daughter are dead too, and tint the other two
princes aren’t out of danger yet. I’m frightened that my daughter may
die or lose her reason, because the unhappiness of losing all one’s
Children at once is unbearable, in Lorraine the disease seems to have
turned into a veritable plague.

Mdrfy 31 May 171 1 Today I have drunk your health in Rhine wine
that my poor daughter sent me last year. T made a proper May cup
with herbs— pimpernel, dragon’s blood, mugwort, liverwort, straw-
benywort and violetworr.

* My poor daughter Is inconsolable, and only wishes to die ami join her
children. and Monsieur. But I told her l was convinced that there could
be no reunion after death, and that it was pointless to die in order to be
with those one had lost. My poor daughter has already lost eight
children.

Marly 30 July ijtt I have heard a rumour dint Mdord Marlborough’s
wife has been insolent to Queen Anne. It was well done to dismiss
her. What business is It of Milord Sunderland whether Queen Anne is
well served by Mrs Masham. or not? He is a dangerous fellow, that

* TheDec dc Bourgogne, the lateDauphinV cHat ion.

‘XalUaia,

■i$c> : 1 :■■■ -Letters jrpfn ^e^te> )l

Sunderland. To look at him* lie. appears', so; modest aiidf quiet, that' lie'
liardiy .sceiiis able to count up' to three. 'VNA \ : ;-l ' ; ' ; V y ' ■ '

Fontainebleau 25 July 1711 ' lam rather. tired,; but 'nothing js-going. to
stop me from answering yomrletter/, which artived yefrerday ’ after, ' ; .‘
I had been bled. They took 16 oz, which is why l am so-tired /today;; . ■
The reason I have been bled is this: last night I felt (by yoiir leaye^by:.' ■-
your leave)' a sudden urge. I got up, and as I’m used to readirig’.on/tkis.; .
dironcTlit a candle and placed it on one of the giijtidom. But the floors \
in old houses like Fontainebleau aren’t smqotli. My slipper twisted ih ; • :
the uneven parquet, I tried to hold on to the gti&idpn, hut it’was'ltob; ■
light, and we crashed to the floor together As I Was embracing the? ;'’
guMdon I couldn’t even break. my fall, and landed flat oii my; hose/’ ";
which is so swollen that it deserves the name, of ‘badgcmose’, which. is 1 ;.’
what my brother used to call me. ‘ ■’ ' "V"

Fontainebleau 2 September 1711 I like Fontainebleau bettfer tHaii .any- ^.'
where else in France. I am well lodged, andhavc.all my people. .
about me, which is more than I can say for Marly.;. Here ( have die ;
limit, and walks tlirougli die wood better tlian anywhere 'else .in the.,' 1 ,
world, and your letters arrive earlier dian at Versailles. ; ■: . V' :

- Mine la Dauphinc often gets cross and impatient because the Duc.dc.
Berry loves his wife so much. She says he’s becoming a bore. Tlie-Duc.-'
db Berry is uot in the least devout, and doesn’t hold witli.'praying, ' ,
which he does as little as possible. But he used to be kept fairly short, ;

. aiid now he has a wife with whom lie may and can do what lie, likes lie;-
;• is absolutely charmed. He thinks that no one in the world tail equal Her.

in beauty, which is not at all die case regarding her" face or figure. She
’ has a short, thick body with long arms, walks badly, and hdeujiiuv'aise
• .grdee in -'all.she does. She. pulls horrible grimaces, ; and alwayslooks'as if; -
■she’s- about to. burst into tears. Her eyes are pale blue widi pink rinisi j’;. '
.' her' ficejs red, and she lefoks a great deal older than . her -'years.- Blither ;. ‘y
.-.neckyarms and hands are flawless, very white indwell made. Her .legs >■
arid .feet 'are nice too,, and I can’t understand why' Her walk is so tottery
; ■{arid' ugly; Nevertheless, -.with all her attributes,' her ;husbarid .-arid.-licr ;.'

/•’. father are convinced that Helen .was never as -beautiful ;as/the D.ucHesse". /;
•/-•deBerry. ' ,

■ VefsaiUes $p.,September : i '711- .■ Dam beginning' niy letter tb.day/for a* great .".- .
i ' .and - rare reason/wluch is. that the King has invited me to liiint widilurii '/■ ;■
\ tbmbriby^Bie&s't''t^efQr -twenty-y^rs'dirit'dris has happptied; ; v

1 le tters front l/selotte 151

Mme dc Maintcnon doesn't look her age m the slightest* She has
gfown a bit thinner, but she still looks very fine [ haven't seen het at
dose quartets for six months Whenever I send to her she is out — I
sent eight times v. hen we were at Marty Still, I can' t force myself on hcr

P S Thursday i October 171 x, 8 30 m the evening

We have this instant arrived from Marly. The hunt only listed
{or an hour, then we all -went m to change Tlie King showed me
great courtesy, and said that he wanted to visit my rooms to sec how
1 had arranged everything and to have any inconveniences put right,
which I must say is very polite

Marly )o October xyu When anyone is put in the Bastille no one
hears anything about it, either at Court or in Paris There is an even
stranger thing for many years a man was imprisoned there who lived
and died wearing a mask He alwayrhad two musketeers at his side widt
orders to shoot him if he ever took it off He ace and slept withhis mask
on He must have been of some importance because m every other
respect he was very well-treated and well lodged, and given everything
he asked for He was devout, and always reading No one could ever
hud ant who he was c

Marty 14 October 1711 Last Tuesday I went to call on the almighty
lady, who told me to suid my own ladies into another room. She
was so stem that my heart began to thump, 1 thought she was going to
lecture me I briefly examined my conscience but found nothing
Then, slie told me that the King had spoken to my son and his wife
regarding the conduct of their daughter, hut had said nothing to me as
he was firmly convinced that I v. ould, naturally, do what Icoutdof my
own accord But since His Majesty had given this commission to the
father and mother, he learned that 1 have stopped saying anything to
the girl, now he lud commanded her, Mme de Mam tenon, to charge
me, on his behalf to lecture the young woman Then she listed the
points on which I was to preach. 1 said that lecturing people was a dis-
agreeable dung but dm I would nevertheless accept die commission
and prove to His Majesty that I always obeyed him, no matter what
he ordered me to do But I begged that he v ould tell the Duchcssc de

r This, according to Helrnonds note in his collection of Lndotte's letters is the
first reference to the mysterious ‘man in die non mask’ The mask u now thought to
have been of bbek vtlver and die pmoner whose jd-nhty was so carefully kept
JrcrcT Const Ercole Antomo Mamolt of Mantua incarcerated for unknown crimes
agisnst die state

'ipe^frmWsijoffi-

Berry' that he, had ' asked me. to: speak'- to - -lier;-'- so' tha t foe {jfopf ^;jpn
might be the deeper. { Tlusttlie KihgV dipt Tliac feyemn'g' irtbtherVahd:
daughter came to see me.J 'started at pnceV*My: dear >i:iipdj''^du ld36w
very well that I have lectured-you ohly.'once sihce/ydur^h^mSgeV'it-
was iny -intention never to do so again, tilt only today l’haVerdceiyeH :
orders from the Kingj which I cannot disobey, to e^laiii to you why' :
he dicl not take you to the hunt in his caUche last Moncjd .TOe^reaion is
that your entire-behaviour displeases him.’

Then I red ted. every point, one-after another, and added that,; if she'
wished to be perfectly miserable, aU she had to do ^\^, to;c 4 xty' oh is
she did now. But if she wished to be happy she would have:to;begin by ■
making herself as well-loved- ‘as you. have made yourself disliked lip; to
now. When the King hears from every side how you. have corrected
all your faults, he will certainly be kind to you agaih.- So, cliecf.'Up,:.
consider what you our do to improve, and do it, and you 1 will make
yourself and us happy.’ I said a lot more, but it would take toolohg to’;
tell. -She cried bitterly, and faitlifully promised to change.#'.'*';-

Versailles 13 November 17 n The pupil in my charge is behaving
better now, thank the Lord, and seems to have profited from my.
remonstrances. I hope to God it may last. Neither father nor mother
says a word; they were quite moved by my lecture and the daughter
cried bitterly. I didn’t use a single harsh word; on the contrary, I
heartily sympatliizcd with her because she had been so badly brought
up, a sensible girl like her, that she had not learned where her duty lay,,
nor what her duties demanded. My harangue was long, but I am too
afraid of boring you. My son often spoils the good T do.

: Marly 1 4 February 1 71 2 We are fiili of grief -The day before -yester-:
day, at a'qipirter past eight, poor i.Mme la Dauphihe departed, fop life.,
’I'am ,ds" convinced that'the docfers'kiUed .her as l know thfr lahi tellihg
Vyoii; about- it: 'They had , given ;frer; a little Milady - Itent powder,' only -a
;;few- tgiams;;; Sheobegap- to -sweat '-hard; but- tli’ey didn’t di'ayb 1 endugn.
patience to let: her.; sweat it put. ^Halfway through, when {she #vaS;'as{
retTas' {foe' froth. foe measles, they put her in a jbatfrof warm wafef.and :
{This-, drove the. fash'

^fe^fr^i^Ts;PydrVTEvery.;ri]me ; .tlbpk; at .'theS- King {niy. eyes," fifrjvitK- 1
, teats# for lie it So; grievefothat it’wPuld '{move -a -rock;- Monsieur fo’'
'Pauphin-'sgriey^.-wdi 'pli-'his^h'earfi- but{he{ h ,yPung,.. he\;duitmarry:-

X^U, fs from Lisebite

153

again and make up for lus loss, but Mmc de Sav oicV loss is irreparable
and so w the King’s, as theDauphinc lud b<xu brought up entirely to h:3
hkuig She was his comfort and joy, and had such gay spims that she
could always find something to cheer him. up

Mikdy Kent’s powder v.as a medicinal concoction s-ud to encourage
sweating, and Liselotte herself seems to have introduced it at Court.
When she first took it her entire entourage, including her doctors,
(locked round her to see her die ‘Madame u poisoning herself,* they
cried, *it w certain that Madame is dead ' Her survival seems to have
encouraged them to use it in the treatment of theur other patients
Uselotte swore by this powder to the end of her days, andbelievcd that
it had often saved her hfc She even went so far as to recommend it —
one gram to be taken with, the milk of the wet nunc — for a sick English
baby

Marly l 8 February 171 2 I thought that today I should write only
of the unhappy ceremony which I had to watch at Versailles yester-
day, but disaster has struck once again, because today M !e Dauphin
has followed lus wife, and left this hfc at 9 30 this morning It is an
abominable loss for the whole kingdom, for he was a virtuous just
rrun, and intelligent France could not have suffered a greater blow
They didn’t wake the King, as he has a cold and a cough, but he soon
heard die news He loses much m this man, because since his father’s
death he used to come to the Council and work with the ministers He
comforted the King whenever he could, he was charitable and gave
many alms, he sold all his mother’s jewellery’ to help wounded officers,
he did as much good as he could and never harmed anyone I don’t
dunk the world has ever seen \v lutt we arc about to see now a man and
his wife being taken together to St Denis I can’t get over die shock
The gnefiS indescribable, I almost think that all of us here will die, one
after die other

Marly so February IJ12 Although the post doesn’t leave today, I can
\uHi.v t/t tmiimg Vradn wiu give me greater ttmtfon tbon to \dA Ttrj
dearest tante how frightened, sad and heavy my hc3tt is. Malicious
tongues iuve spread all over Pans a rumour that my son poisoned the
Dauphin and Dauphinc As 1 would go to the stake for bos innocence, 1
didn’t take it seriously at first, for I simply couldn’t imagine that such a
thing could be said in earnest Some say that this wicked rumour comes
Grom. Spain If so, die Prmcessc dc$ Ursms mmc be a ven cable devil to

* The Dauphinc’* mother Madame’* Step-granddaughter

154 Letters fron t Lischlte

carry her revenge against my son so far, and lie pays a high price for '
annoying her.

The Due d'Orleans, whose chemical experiments with his friend Dr
Homberg were well known, was the chief suspect in the poison rumours
that followed the death of the second Dauphin as he appeared to have -
most to gain from eliminating all who stood between himself and the
throne of France.

The stories may well have originated in Spain, where Orleans had long
been regarded as an audacious plotter. At a time when Philip V seemed
to be considering abdication, the anti-Habsburgs had adopted Orleans
as their candidate for the throne of Spain, and Mme dcs Ursins, the
power behind the Spanish throne, was convinced that this was an Or-
leans plot. (He "had in fact not been personally involved.) Liselotte,
however, attributes Mine dcs Ursins’ libels to motives of revenge, for
apparently Orleans had repulsed her advances — she was said to have
me morals of a hussar’ — finding her too old and ugly to be able to
play tile galani.

The post-mortem showed that the Dauphin had died from natural
causes, variously described as measles, scarlet fever or Fleck-Fieher (spot-
fever, Lisclotte’s diagnosis). This is a variety of typhus causing a scarlet
rash, severe nervous symptoms and dreadful bowel disturbances. The
bacteria arc carried by dotkcs-licc, and it is extremely contagious.

.Marly 21 February 1712 I must tell you the end of yesterday’s affair.
When my son sent his Homberg to the Bastille to be interrogated, the
king forbade him to enter, not only because His Majesty doesn't believe
my son capable of such a tiling, but also because not a trace of poison
was found in either body when they were opened. All the doctors
present are ready to swear that Mme la Dauphine died of the measles
and M Ic Dauphin of grief and the polluted air.

Versailles 5 March 1712 T feel deeply sorry for the King. He forces
himself to appear calm, but you can see how much lie is suffering. God
preserve him, there is no telling wliat might otherwise happen.

People arc beginning to fear that my son will play lus part in a future
reign, and this is why they arc trying to make his name odious at Court
and spread the rumour of the poisoning, as I told you. Whoever diesat
Court, my son is blamed. There is no crime that he is not accused of.

Versailles 10 March 1712 You will be horrified to hear how our
disasters coritinue. The doctors have repeated the mistake they made

Zeners from Liselotie

111

with Mine h Diuphmc, because when the little Dauphin 1 was red
&om the measles and in a sv» cat they bled turn and gave him an emetic,
and during this operation die poor child died
And there is good proof dut the doctors murdered this Dauphin.
While all rune of them were occupied with him. the younger prince , 1
who is suffering from the same illness, was hidden away by hi* Lidies,
who locked themselves in with him and gave him biscuits and wine.
Yesterday there were plans to have him bled, but Mmc de Ventadour
and die Ponce's uuder-goveruess Mmc dc Villcfort stoutly resisted the
doctors and wouldn’t allow it They simply kept die Ptince mce and
warm, and saved him, dunk God, to the doctors’ sliame I am sure dut,
if they had had their way , he would have died too
And now I must tell you how horribly malicious people are here
Although neither my son nor any of his people had ever been anywhere
near die elder child people are saying quite openly that he killed this
one too, but dut he spared the younger one for fear that the Kang of
Spain who hates my son, might return Yesterday quite reliable people
have heard *<pt*on laisse niounr flussi It petit Due d Anjou, ajitt epic le
Royaumc tie demeure pas aprb le ro\ mmottt£ There is no country tn die
world where you could hear such insolent talk
Our King bears lus grief with such composure and firmness that
I cannot admire hjm enough Otic can truthfully say that, except for
Mmc dc Mmutenon he has lost everything diat he most loved.

Versailles ij March tyi2 I am sure dicre must be a hundred saints who
deserve their canonization less dian our second Dan plun for sad to say,
m eleven months we has c lost three one of forty -nine, one of twenty -
six and one of five I don’t believe such a dung can be found m the
whole of history It is certain that M. le Dauphin died of grief He !o\ cd
Ins wife to ait extraordinary degree and the grief over her loss must
hate brought on the fever It came irregularly at first but then it cunc
every fourth day They bled him After his wife’s deadt spots appeared
on Uvs forehead hvitthatdidn'tprevcntlnmfconvtyomgoutandabout He
didn’t take to hu bed until Sunday night. Then he came out m a purple
rash, and spots wluch were larger and different from ordinary measles
They gave him cordials and tried to make him sweat, but it was no use.

The autopsy showed dut all lus organs had putnfied and ltu heart
was shrunken and flat. From this they judged that he had died of gnef

Versailles i 7 March 1712 Yesterday M le Dauphin's little dog made
* Louis, the third Pauphm 1 The future Lcuu XV

Letters fro hiLiselotte-

, me cry. The : poor . beast came into die tribiiiie of -the' khap.ef 'to look-foi''
his master, whom he last saw kneeling there. He sacllg looked .at every-.-
one as though to ask where his master liad gone. It jnade.iriesp sad:- ‘ y
There are two reasons why I ana pleased to. go -‘to ^tliey'Sahctum.'-
The first is that tliis is the only place where thb'King’evebtalks:,’ aiid
since I have always loved and respected him it has always hurt me no t to-
be able to speak to him except during an aiidience;yand £br;anotH'er : it
seemed really hard to be the only exception in tKe whoIeroyal ;iaiiulyj ■ -

Versailles 19 March 1712 I can’t think why all Paris liatcs niy son, '
when he has never harmed anyone in Jus life. Monsieur and I were well!
liked in Paris, and I am still popular. But I think that die people of his '
household, who were jealous ofHombcrg, really began it all, because,
in order to harm him, they spread die rumour tHa t ; Homberg < Was
working on poisons. Here, when cahalcs want to start anything, they,
arc usually successful. i f‘‘i

I need you to be where you cau liavc a long, healthy and peaceful life,':
and since it is my conviction tliat the English are mad and difficult,
London is unhealthy and the sea dangerous, I cannot wish that you ,
were there. You arc used to die air and die food in Hanover, and to get
used to a change of air is always difficult, and often causes dangerous
diseases. These arc die only reasons that prevent me from wanting you ;
to be Queen of England.

Versailles 24 March 1712 In die Sanctum there is much talk of the past
but not a word of the present, nor of the war or die peace, and never ,
of the three Dauphins and the Dauphine, in order no t to remind the .
King; As soon ashe introduces die subject I quickly speak of somediing.
..felse, and pretend not to have heardliim. • f:y- ' f; * v, •

y-^.Thc French papers said that Queen Anne was determined at all, costs,-
to have- you with her in England . 1 This V 6 ffidu^t-pl«^e.-.me, for the;
reasons I have often told you . 1 But what I should like would be for licr
;'\t 6 : give : .y°u the pension that she herself enjoyed while she Was still , a
" .princess \ 1 mat would be only fair. ' : ..‘V ...' ' v

fjVersailles ’2’f ' March 17 is The doctors how admit that diey;didh’t- use
the v ;jright. treatiheht'qn ■ M .and Mme. la Dauphine, but they . say : ;diey /
i-weren*t familiar?‘Widi; die -disease. •••• -v. ■ ; . "\ -f t.--

'rff .The-, papers were Hnsiniorrncd. There was -nothing- Queen Afihb-whhcddcss th®'-
1' visiS.;fro ; ni'h& jjahoyerian rcladons,' and her aversion did rnucKtoheaxtch^ 3 ?®^®
plotters in.Jsagland and abroad. -y ... • -r.~\ v%:.' -.r 1

Zibets from Lisehttc

*57

Previously my son was popular with everyone, but since the Spanish
troubles all Para hates him, and they are never happier tlian when they
can say something against bun- The rumours aren't true, and even if
they were I don’t see what they have to do with die Parisians, but that's
what they ate like here You can imagine that it 'was not pleasant for me
to know that posters have been put up at the Palau-Royil 'Void oh
jfifont Us tot cries el cu on twwe It plus Jin poisson * Lcs lotcries ate meant to
indicate thaemy son lives like Lot withlm daughter

The poets horn, the Pont "Nenf consider it their duty to make up
songs whenever a member of the royal house dies It is funny to sec
them <tngmg They stand on benches, yell as loudly as they can, and
whenever they mention the King or any other royalty they bow very
low in mid-song 1

Marly 14 April xytz Studying suits my son well enough and comes
naturally to him, but when he tries to play the clown it makes one
want to tlnow up, it sum him so ill All the young people, even
!m daughter, make fun ofhim Alas, m> son’s story is j use like die one
about die fames who are invited to a christening The first brings the
child the gift of good looks, die second eloquence, the third brings
talent m all the arts, die fourth endows him with physical gnee m
fencing, riding and dancing, the fifth go.es him skill in die art of war,
die sixth greater courage than anyone else, but the scvendi fairy,
whom they liad forgotten to invite to the christening, says, *1 cannot
take from the child what my sisters liavc given lum, but for the rest of
my life 1 tnll undo die effect of all die gifts he lias been, gn en 1 will
make him. vnlk so badly diat people will think he « a hunchback and
lame, I will make his beard grow so black and make him pull such
grimaces, that his looks Will be spoilt 1 will give him a distaste for
physical exercise and make lum so easily bored that he will take no
pleasure m any of his arts, music pamtmg or drawing, and I will give
him a love of solitude and a loathing for honest people I v. ill often
hnng baw.iwsfmrj3.wi w, Mias, vmJ. wjkft. Iv.w. bebeste that dehuvd^cy
sons lum well, and make lum find his best friends' advice distasteful
With these gifts all die good that my sisters have given him will be
Undone ’ Tliat is just what lias happened, and tins 15 why he would
rather sit with lus daughter and her chambermaids, listening to sdly

* f tn Stance, e%ecy penod ti recorded m 1005% lasclotte had written previously
’tCnoryjs better learned from the songs than die history book* ‘ Shehesselfchenshtda
volume of Songs nude up in Louis XIITi rogn, a present from La Grand-
Mademoiselle

£58 . ..I > : -y

jokes, than' see worthwhile ''people • or '-'ra 3 e : ]us ..own' householdas ^liis
position demands. - - - , I, £; -y.. yyA •:

The King treats my son -well, -which gives mehope .that the lies have"’
made no impression on His Majesty.-; :

It doesn’t make any sense to me tlrat- Queen Ahne should .declare
you her successor without granting you tlie pension, tiiat; she herselr
enjoyed. I hope it will arrive yet, for you do so muchgopd evefywhere;-
that the pension would come in useful. I quite agree, ‘Altesse IJlofdk’'-
has become very vulgar now, much more common thah ‘Ycnif-
Electoral Serene Highness’. -

Marly 24 April 1 71 2 I am writing tliis si tting in front of my Wmdow,-
where I can see the lovely parterre full of narcissi, tulips- and couroniies
imp&riahs. This is bordered by a horseshoe of white, brown- and red .
marble with great stone steps in the centre and more steps at each, cud;
all decorated with statues and wliite marble flower-urns. Beyond the '•
steps there is the hill with the cascading waterfall that “is /called' '/n
rivifoc. There are masses of white marble statues above and below . 1
So you see, I have a lovely view, but it fails, unfortunately, to inspire '
me with agreeable thoughts. When I think that I shall neyer;scc,you
again, I can’t help crying. Crying may not come to you as casily as it
does to me, but, even so, you grieve inside, and that docs more damage.

Versailles 21 May 1712 Although the old trollop is our worst enemy, ;
I wish her a long life for die King’s sake, because everything would be.
ten times worse if she were to die. He adores her so much, that, life,
couldn’t live long without her, consequently'! hope that shc will live
for a long time yet. Please don’t reply to this letter. '.i ..

' As for the Due dc Berry, he .might well not be quite so stupid if he
hadn’t, been brought up in such ignorance; but, as it is, heiknows.
fnodiing.bf tbe’world, and is, nevertheless very' opinionated. He is much'

: in love with his wife, who uii&rtunately docsn’t return;uis.seh,tiinents; :
'"Although -she behaves better tlian she used to,! I’m afraid she'jis: still a
.coqtiette,: her natural tendency' is too strong, and)bori cltten.de clwsse de
race: Her mother, with all her solemn airs,- has one affair- after another, .:
' .btlhto’bc truthful shc manages diem very welh and would -hcryer; cause '
-a' scandal. - All,- Paris considers her a -vestal, virgin: \J>?y.

\ Vcrsdi Ues'.'2g' May. 17.1 '2 ;-;My- knees hurt. -arid; -I’m' •short ; of .breath, but'
dierwise 'I am iperfeC.dy , wfell arid haven’t any pain.: My. appetite -is
1 gtiod ! .. ; I'_sleep.f alktbo- well,' and; when - arty thing' annoying :happ.ens. f
;£sitnply pay-rio nttention to .it, as.whcn, for instance, my^.sofr spends- no;

*59

let ters from Lischtte

time with me, doesn't love me, gives- his daughter anything at ah but
nukes me wait over three years for what u due to me, doesn’t visit
me for even a quartcr-o few-hour during the day, but Calls at nine
o'clock at the evening and leaves at a quarter-to-ten. '

ATJrly £ June 17.12 My son and I know all too well, unfortunately,
who rhe people are who try to make him. loathed and hated. It is a
very special cnbale at a Court that is more riddled by different cabalcs than
ever, I will he more explicit at the first safe opportunity, and yon will
sec that 1 am quite right to be alarmed. In the meantime I shall simpty
continue oh my straight course and pretend to know nothing, except
for warning my son as soon as I learn onytlung.

M do Maine, Mute la Duehesse and M le Due d’Antin,* the most
' amhiuou/ creatures on earth, have noticed dut the King likes my son,
and now they look for every opportunity to blacken his name. For the
last year, since Monscigneur’s death, they have drawn the old Main-
tenon into their eabalei it was she who told the King due my son had
poisoned the last Dauphutc and Dauphin. They drought the King
would be so shocked that he would banish my son from Court at once,
without even going into die matter 1 know this because when the
doctors came to tell the King tliat it was certain that these two person-
ages had not swallowed any poison, he turned to Mme dc Maintenon
and said, 'Eh lien, Madame, eh hen, ne votts avais-je pas lilt pie cc que volts
mavez tfii Je man tieveu /fait faux?’ You perceive how right we were to
think that die old woman lutes us all.

Marly jp June 1712 In accordance with my bad habits 1 slept for an
hour after my meal, and now I am swung in front of my beautiful
window, ■where it is lovely and cool, between two of my birds, which
are singing: a little redbreast and a canary My parrot sits before me, my
little dogs areplaying round me, and immediately belund me stands Frau
-von Uathsainshaoscn, who is scratching a mosquito bite on my back.

Isas ■easel}’ sxp Ldo.hc'W' xhrXit\gcifi , jiKs.t>
comes to possess the collection of medals from Heidelberg. My late
brother made the Tlcctoc of Brandenburg the executor of his will,
and laid down tint he should be given cither the Julius Caesar tapestry

1 All children of Mme de Momespan. The Maine* were the leaden t>f the ‘at tie'
aadem to see the succession of France in the hands of the King's oldest samving
grandson. plnhp of Sfam, even though, by accepting the crown of that country, le
had ceased to be eligible for dot of Trance.

.i(3 6

Letters from U:chtL :

or all the medals. I would .liaVe. radief the medals', Vs ^ y 61/, c^h-'fv--'
imagine, bite Monsieur, who didn’t care for. diem-a^' .all^’said^k't'oiVs >/;‘ r
baise les mains, les medailles lie seraient que pour, votre divertjsseme'tdi'Sje.nd^S
m*cn soticie.jjas, mats fat besom d&jtapisserieil ctjc veil* telle4ejutts^£d&[‘$)
Jesuis mnUre de la communauti, e’est d mot de eltoisiry 'et'je' {es]dak&$ W#$ -l-?.
wasn’t much I could say then, and this is how my 'fidiervS^colleM£inV;yi^ ,
conies to be in Prussia. - , .. •

Versailles i October 1712 The Duchcsse de 3?erry is liibrc ihipertihent>^§.
titan ever. She tried to put me out of countenance, yesterdays .butsl-tdld;-!^
her what I thought of her. - '

She arrived all dressed up cn grand habit, with more , di&fipurteen^
poitffons of the most splendid diamonds in the world. Ailj iik&iV&yjjimffii
fine, but on her face she wore twelve beauty-spote; which were ■homtjl^}!^
unbecoming. ‘When she came up to me I
tnerveilk, hut it seems to me that you have

doesn’t look very dignified for the first lady in die l^d ; to,bie;dpy^rfetl^i
in inouches like an actress.’ She pulled a face and said .that she ^kne-Cvy erjr. J
well I didn't care for patches. She, on the other

much and intended to please herself. ‘Your mistake/ I-said./i^ducstp.-^
your extreme youth, because, beyond pleasing yourself,' ypu-. p^ht^b'^
chink of pleasing the King.* ‘Oh,* she said, ‘die King gets ; usdd;tb;aii'yr^
diing, and I have made up my mind to bother- about nothing ianaji;,
worry about nobody.’ I laughed and said, ‘With [.raese'&tt^eSji^
you*ll go far. Listen while I tell you what -1 thhll^vfet^
own good. I do it because it is my duty 'as ydu'r'
besides, -it’s by order of the King/- 1 ' «' '* 1 <■ 1 > r „

Luisa i V. • : •■' ■ V';-/’ : : 7

{■Versailles ' 8 December 1 712’ I have been'purge&fiVe- times jsihc^’^Stijr,'^
\-which quite tires me 'out; As-

: ebnipletely.if T fohbw their advice, I am obIi^ 3 ym/qd^iat;.they
. otherydsc they would say that I’m killing niys.elf through imy sflibbom^jiy-
’ heSs.' l am better than T was .because' J can eafand drmk.ag^>w&but- V^:
/choking or phiting/which is more than I could ;do at I^ariy/i 'npuce'^
h 6 ;imprbVejcliCrtfc in w^lkiiigvlarhsd wealcahd feeble that Imn’t walk i
leiigth .of a 'rborri-widiout panting, l am 'carried' 'eVpr^whefe 'in

Sophie 7 7.7.: 777 7. ~ ' . - . ' /■ -;:77 - '.^ : 7 .^;7,7

bV&sdille£::ipfy last sa wyour.; Liseloite.-j uirtp^^;.^

f-ing .and running, she was young and light: now. I am old and-heavy and ft ; ;

\*v

Mine <3c Maintenon wearing religions Hahn eighteenth-century French School

i Ltturtjrom 'Ltsehlie

J6i

- greatly dunged You wouldn't know me now My wrinkled eyes, mj
great pendulous cheeks m> snow-v.hitc hair, the follow between my
cars and m> checks emd my huge double-dim wouldn’t remind jou of
Lwclottc. I’m ^uito different from what I used to be my long neck
has grown quite short, my shoulders arebroad and thick, and my legs arc
Worse than thick because they're so swollen. So you see, you would
never rccogmze me m this figure When I open r^y mouth m> teeth
arc also- in a miserable state one is broken another one js black, the
others arejasjgcd — in short, my whole person is Wretched.

Sometimes the King is kind enough to enquire after my health, of
. which f render him an account I often speak of it ui a way to make His
Majesty laugh l_

Luisr

A Ut\y 15 January 1713 1 must tell you tliat my doctor has ordered
to tod-? coffrtr 1 Sind tt disgusting and get used to the send
sooty taste

A year later Liselotte wrote to I uisc that she dnnks coffee every day and
that it agrees with her, but T shall never get used tc> u or come to Like
it

Versailles 30 Ajrnl 1713 I shall neither gain nor lose by this peace,
but one thing I shall enjoy is to sec our Duchcsse dc Savoie become 3
queen, because I love her as diough she w ere my own child For another
thing there will be fewer lamentations, wluch were tedious, and for a
third I hope that the posts will be faster That is all, dear Luue, that t
hope of the peace

But once there is a general peace, it will be of long duration, you
may take my word for it, on this side notlung is mote longed for than a
lasting peace

By the terms of the peace treaty of Utrecht, Sialy nine under the rule of
* Savoy, and Lkclotte's itep-grandchild was now known as the Queen
of Sicily The Due d Orleans and the Due dc Berry foully renounced
their claims to the Spanish throne, and once again Philip of Spam
renounied lits claim to tile tlirone of France.

Permittee jS June 17x3 I shall send my portrait tc> ma Unte as soon as
possible Notlung has ever been more like dim the way Rtgaud has
* i

ife betters fr om Lisebtte

painted me. The little brown dog is still alive, cleverer than ever, and I “
love it with all my heart.

I can easily send you a present from the fair every year without
ruining myself, and I’m glad to have found something to your liking
tills time. But, dearest Luise, didn’t you inherit any jewellery from your
mother? Here diamonds have become rare, but not coloured stones-
specially when they are small.

Lisclotte is referring to the annual fair at Versailles, which, she points
out, is not a town or even a village hut only a spot, so that its fair is
nothing but a country-fair. The sort of merchandise for sale, however^
suggests that, rural or not, royalty Was suitably Catered for. Liselotte ,
was the first to agree that ‘les pefits cadeaux cntretieimcnt V ami tie.

Sophie

Marly 24 November 17x3 My son and his daughter, who, as youknow,
used to love each other so much that it caused unpleasant talk, now
begin to loathe each other like the devil. They quarrel constantly and,
what is worse, the daughter is causing trouble between her father and
her husband. The father went to Paris in despair. He keeps all this secret
from me, but I hear about it all the same, because his wife tells me
everything and I pretend to know nothing.

Versailles 7 January 1714 I have 110 doubt that your Prince Fritzchen*
was absolutely delighted with the Cliristcliild, because I still remember
so well how I loved it, and how frightened I was of the seminarists,
when they came carrying die star. But what made me realize it was
only make-believe was that St Peter, who was to take me to where the
Christchild had left my presents, gave me his hand, which was glove-
lcss and calloused. I simply couldn’t imagine diat onc‘ could be scabby in
Paradise, and I couldn’t help laughing. Good Frau von Harling said
quickly that the Christchild wouldn’t leave presents for people who
didn’t believe in it, and it never did again from that time on.

Luisb

Versailles 22 March 1714 Thank you so much for sending the copy of
the recipe for sauerkraut with pike, but as I don't like fish I should
prefer it as it is usually eaten, without the fish- I shall translate it into
French myself. Luckily I have a good stomach and can digest sauer-
kraut very well. ,To eat little at night is very healthy. .

* Frederick, the son. of George Augustus and Caroline, later PrintC of Wales.

Letters from Lhehtte 163

Sopjiie

Versailles 8 April ij*4 * don't have a Calvin among my medals and if
it wouldn't rob your cabinet it would be very land of vou to send it to
me I have the popes, Dr Luther, Molinos,* M Arraud,* M de Camhrai , 1
1 collect c\ eryonc who has been extraordinary , I alto liavc l’Abbd
dc IaTrappe, but only in lead

Marly 3 May 1714 The Due de Berry is tembly and dangerous!) ill
On Sunday night, or rather Monday morning just before four o’clock,
he had an attack of fever and shivering but he said nothing about it,
and got up and dressed, for he wanted to go and see the King’s doctor
But the shivering started again and he couldn’t hide it any longer and
lus head ached so much that he lud to go back to bed. The fever rose
higher all the time, accompanied by \omitmg First he brought up
some green matter, but then that was followed by pitch-black vomit-
ing, and when the black matter was exammed ) cstcxday it was found
to be congealed blood, which lie excreted from above and below The
doctors weren’t unduly worried they thought the Due de Berrv was
on the mend, because they believed they could stop the bleeding We
all went to Versailles to celebrate with Mmc de Berry because her
husband was out of danger, but in the night he had such a dreadful
attack of vomiting that he couldn’t keep anything down I have just
come from his room, lie has just been bled for the eighth time He
looks frightful He ate a plateful of jelly which by your leave, be
sicked up again He only has 2 little fever, but the congealed black
blood makes one tremble I am dreadfully afraid that tt will end badly
May God send us help — we need it.

The Due deBerry died shortly afterwards from internal injuries sustained
at a hunting accident of which he had not told a soul He showed the
greatest consideration for his grandfather on lus death bed, eveai refusing
Extreme Unction Until after tire King’s ccuit n w order to spare him the
sad sight la die end matters became too urgent for delay, the King
kurasdS went to fetch the ho’ij ^jcrasneiit, and ctervtire, except "die
Duchcssc dc Berry who was pregnant, was present at the sad ritual
Tor a while Litclotte pities her granddaughter who, she says, is intelli-
gent enough to realise tlut from the most fortunate being she u now
changed to th- most miserable, unless she bears a son, and ‘she is firmly
convinced she will only luvea daughter’

* Miguel Molmw, Spnishtnysoc * Antoine Anwud, anu Jcstal Juucxuh.

*Kneloa.

1(54

)&ttys : jrw%iseigite_

Xotse : o';.'

Marly jo May *714 ‘ As I haven’tyet answered your'lctter o£ April': p
.17th I shall save it for.the-Sunday post, in .'so.. fat. as God spaxes'"my; 3 ife : ••
until then, which one never can tell. : And- even less' now^after yjf . ' ha vey; s
seen the Due de Berry die, only twenty-seven years old and' apparently ”
big,- fat and in the best of health and likely to live, for a hundred yeab.- T
I am sure he would have, too, if he hadn’t so carelessly hilled' himself.- ■
But enough of tills sadness. I thiiik tliat, next to' salvaQon;' .God’s.
greatest blessing is to let one die peacefully and without fear; Iain mote
afraid of the fear, of death than of death itself. . vii V ;

Sophie •/ •••:

Marly 6 Jane 1714 The only good thing about the Princesse des Ursihs r;'
used to be her neck and her teeth, otherwise she painted herself too ' :
much; it used to make her eyes look red and her skin too shiny, as if if
was covered with snot. To take rhubarb every day seems -revolting' to
me, and it won’t rid her of the bitter gall she feels for- my son. The V
Princesse dcs Ursins governs the King of Spain as I do my Titti' except \
that he obeys her even more faithfully than Titti docs me. .

Ratnbouiliet 15 June 1714 It is a fact that the Princesse des Ursins has
more authority in Spain than the King himself, and he may easily find;. ,
himself in the position of his grandfather, Louis XIII, who asked one of
his courtiers, 'Est-il vrai quo tu es chassS de la cotir?' and he answered, -
‘Sire, fesperc qae non , puisque vous nen savez rien* That’s how. it goes
there, too. But I have made a mistake, it was die King of Spain’s great- -V
grandfather. A thirty-year-old man is, .after all, no longer a cliild tobc
nursed by a woman. • • • ' ‘"Vf 1

. .. If my son’s. portrait- could talk it would speak sadly now* because he ’/
grieves .over .ms daughter’s -unhappiness. ; :.y ,V. '-'V

;; Thank you for your kind wishes. 1 If .one could lose a 1 year'feacK' year, ...
one would become a. child again in the end, but- as long 'as you are.alive ..
r.and well I shan’t get tired . of niy life , \'yp M •> s ; f*

<- i';Oh June 8 the event which Liselotte-had dreaded so nnicli,:the death of ;.

• her'aiint Sophie, .came to pass. The Electrcssyvas walking in.the gardens--.:
'.^y'df.llerreniiausen When. she ’had -a stroke, and died imme'4}ately/. ‘rfl»j - y^
■--\:jnedecin iiipr£lre%asshe had wished,.’. ■ Vj.

\.*'.E^ 4 eady'-Spplue l^d- vrishsd .Lvselottc- many happy lethms of Kec-.birtliday- in'. ,

■ May.-; V -• - .•••• ..••• - V ?■ r

Letters from Lrsebtte <

Ltu$6

Marly 1 July 1714 l can't remember, dear Luise, whether I wrote
td tell you liow I heard of the disaster, and dm my confessor was ashed
to tJl me about it I was overcome by the sort of trembling that
accompanies a high fever, and turned deadly pate, anti it must have
been a qua rter-o f-an-Ixour before l could cty, but I couldn't get my
breath and fete as though I should choke to death. But then the tears
came freely a n d lasted all day and night, then they dned and I choked
until they Rowed, again, and it lus been like that ever since What tt
surprising is that I temain so healthy. I am not m the least iH It must
have been b stroke di.it caused our awful unhappiness Oh God, how
often tm tank wrote tliat she would prefer sudden death to dying m
bed, with a parson on one side and a doctor on the other, neither of
them able to help, and how she wished to avoid die performance Alas
how right she was

Oh Lime, how can I ever get over this’ Ma tank was the only
comfort l had in all my tribulations here What ts die point of living
now’ l am no use to anyone and a burden to myself You are die only
one left of all who were near and dear to me m Germany Adieu, dear
Luise

Marly 10 July 1714 No words can describe whatl suffer day and night,
and m addition I ha\e die torture of forcing myself to hide m> gttef
because the King can’t bear sad faces Against my wish, I also have to
join m die hunt again Last time I cried bitterly because the Elector of
Havana came to my caliche to condole m my loss l simply couldn’t
contain myself, and broke down It lasted all through the hunt. 1 „
could see quite \\ ell that I was being laughed at, but there was nothing
1 could, do about it

Marly zzjul j 1 71 4 Ah, dear Luise, if I had no other w omes titan tin t
Mmc de Berry prematurely gave birdi to a daughter, 1 should be
easily consoled The child is m good hands, as it will most certainly
have gone to heaven, and the mother is well f don’t consider her
unfortunate to be without husband and children, her rank » higher
than. she could ever hive wished, she is the first lady m France, her
income 1$ greater than mine by 250 000 francs a year She jr y oung and
healthy, and so adored by her father and mother that she can do with
them what she likes She has everything m plenty, jewels, furniture, so
I really can’t see what her misfortune consists of If she were Queen she
would have to suffer more constraint without being any happier

•i 6 t> ■ . '/ } y

.Marly p August 1714 I^tThur^y.and.Ffiday'niy; 46 etor^avy ^ f w. -S-'A-
purge which was so effective; that I had ’to retire to niy’rclpse-stool.iid -y
less than diirty times; Perhaps you know, dear Luke'j what-it Was that
purged me so violently. It .is a new medicine; ' but-, so a la Hjo^etbat ail - =
Paris is using if now. It is a salt from England called here dH sel d'Epsbtii ^;
You dissolve it in water. The first day I was giy^;tfee ; Iargd%ccr-,. ■
glasses full, and the next day two. The taste is no t to 6 bad— only hitter^ ^
You will have seen in the gazettes that -die King 'has ; mad 6 '~fl 1 i- j>fr
bastards princes dtt sang, so that they may- legaUy : inherit df thd^ -proper \ !
line should die out. ;‘i V-'V

•The elevation o£ the Due du Maine and the Comte dc Toulouse infnny ;
ated the nobles of France, especially the dukes and peers over Whom •
they now took precedence. There was an immediate -petition td the ' ,
King, followed by numerous others, for the reversal of this' Order, which
was, however, not rescinded until some time after his death. ' : -/ y . ' •

Versailles 23 August 1714 Dearest Luise, last Saturday I went fb.Parisi
I went to the Palais-Royal to call on Mile dc Valois , 1 who no longer ;
lives in the country, hut in Paris in a convent built by the Qixeen :
Mother. I can never bear to spend any time there, because opposite, the '
choir there is a cliapel where the hearts of Monsieur, my eldest son, the'.
Queen, the Daupliine, the three Dauphins and die Due, de, Berry ; ' ate;
kept, all of them enclosed in silver hearts shrouded in black veiling, and S :
with a crown on the floor. This sight is quite unbearable tome; :;I : '
should make myself ill with crying, and I take very goqd care never- to
enter this convent. Mile de Valois, who is almost as tall as I ati^ stayed;,--
with me until five o’clock. Then I sent her back to her convent and.
went .On to another one, the Ste Marie de Chaillot, , where our Queen
; .of England- is spending the summer. There I heard for certairrthat
.Queen, Anne of England is dead, and that, a few hours after her death \

' the Elector of Brunswick was proclaimed King of the tliree : feahris,.
England;' Scotland and Ireland. How it will all end rime, alone, will tell, i
.' Wour dear^Electress used to say. - _-';5 -V'-V.

■Fontainebleau. 6 September 1714 As soon .as I -get back, to Versailles, I
sTiafl dti asihe King of Englan d desires, and bunvall-the letters firdni'oux. ; y
•\dear;EicOTesS thkt c 6 ritain. farifily matters. Sd.far.I haven’t beeffable.’ to v ;

V.Charlottc'; Xglafi dc Valois -was’ the Due d’Orldans’ third daughter.- She;an^ Her-'l
.'elder Sisteri'.Mlle d’QrI&ras,,were boarded out tb be'educa.fcd by the nuns ii'Ghell^. '
cony^t tq.XvHdiTiselotte'refe'rs was the Val-de-Grace, where dic.hcatte'prjKe ; ;;.
dead -Bourbons were laid to. rest, though, their bodies were in the crypt- bfSaint-Denis- - /;

let ters front Ltxkttc

bum x single one, except foe those tbit die herself ashed me to destroy
It is hard to believe that the English could ever be content -with any
king, let alone ours I feel just as children do when dicy say 'fame papa
et mania I love our Elector, who has now become King and the
King of England here, and his mother, arc dear to me too I wish our
Elector could luve another kingdom, and our King of England his
awn, fat l confess that I don’ t trust the English one iota and fear tlut
our Elector, who is now King will meet with disaster If hu rule an
England v, ere as absolute as our King's here, I have no doubt that right
and justice would reign but there arc altogether too many examples of
the unfair way in which the English treat tlieir kings But my meal lias
arrived Tod as I am eating earlier than usual because of the hunt

Iaselotte bad once written to her aunt that ‘your letters arc that part of
my reliquary which I preserve with especial zeal and the new King of
England s request cannot liavc been a welcome one He !wd arrived m
England on September 29th

James III ‘our Kang of England here unofficially spent a good deal of
time m France though officially he was now Irving m Lorraine

ro«t*»ne&fcau 16 Sept ember FrSulem von Rathsamshausen' should

go to England now, for I see from the German gazettes that H M
the King lists 'Defender of the Filth* among his titles, and that ought to
make him stand by those who have left the Catholic fault for hu own
religion I admit that this title surprised me I am afraid the King of
England will find more worry and trouble than pleasure in bn tegal
condition, and will often say to himself ‘If only I were still Elector, and
m Hanover ’

Fotjlalntbleau &o October 1 714 This alas, will be the last letter X shall
write to y ou Grom dear Fontainebleau We arc leaving on Wednesday,
and Monday will be the last time we shall hunt in tins beautiful forest
There is nodung in Versailles or Marly to compatc with it.

Another thing I like about this place is that all die halls and galleries
look quite German When you go into the Sclrwetzcrsaal it looks just
like an old German lull with niches and panelling and benches*
*Leonorc’» daughter had doped wuh 3 Protestant, and for this reason was not
w detune m. France.

* Itiu iimdam) was accounted for by the fact that until Lotus XIV rrvolcnomzed
pilacc-dcuga vmh the improvements at VctsaiB o. and so created a new formula most
European palace*. Fontainebleau a well as Heidelberg, followed a trad.tional Renio-
satice pattern

i 68 ' -Letters from Lise httc

The air apparently agrees with me bid so does die hunting, wluch
helps to dissipate sad thoughts, and no tiling is worsefor me than to be sad.

I have given your compliments to the Electoral Prince , 1 and assured
him of your respect. He didn’t answer, and only bowed. I am not at all
in favour with him. I think he is afraid that I might speak of religion,
and try and persuade him to be converted. But the good man deceives
himself. I am certainly no apostle, and want everyone to believe
according to his own conscience. Perliaps he doesn’t like me because I
am an old woman, but that I can’t do anything about, and it will get
worse every day.

Versailles 3 November 1714 I’ve already read four pages of the news-
paper without finding the place. I’ll just have another look. There, I’ve
found it, dear Luise. My speech when I presented the Electoral Prince
has been very badly translated. For one thing, I never address the King
as ‘Sire’, but as ‘Monsieur’. No enfant de France calls the King ‘Sire’,
that only starts with the petits eufanls, such as my son, my daughter,
etc. What I said to the King was simply, * Monsieur , void le prince electoral
de Saxsen, qui souhaite qtte je le prdsente d Votre MajestP. The Prince
stepped forward with a very high, noble expression and made his
compliments without die least trace of shyness, and instantly won the
approval of die King and the whole Court. If other reports that reach
Germany from France are as inaccurate as the one of my presentation ,
of the Prince, the reporters aren’t worthy of their hire.

Versailles 18 November 1714 Later this evening I’m taking my grand-
daughter, Mile de Valois, to the opera, and bringing her back here
afterwards. This means that I must write to my daughter immediately
after the hunt tomorrow, and shall have to hurry with this letter today . 1

The litde Dauphin is teething and sometimes looks ill, but when he
looks well he is a beautiful child. He has large, pitch-black eyes, a little
round face, and a pretty mouth which, however, he keeps open rather
too much . 2 He has a very well-shaped little nose and black hair, and

1 Prince Friedrich August II of Saxony, later King of Poland. In 17IZ he had hern
secretly converted to Catholicism, but his change of religion was not declared until
1717.

3 The folxr-y ear-old Dauphin had apparently inherited this trait from his unde,
now King of Spain, of whom Dsclotte had made the same observation. Unlike tins
staid man, however,' he showed early signs of his ungovernable temper. Lisclotte
said that his entourage dreaded his tantrums so much that he was on die whole allowed
to do as he liked, so thathe was badly brought up and very spoilt, though ‘a nice little
boy’. ;

Letters fro nt Lisclottc i6g

lie is very well built, with straiglit legs and nice feet, m short, he is
handsome rather than plaut He was always he tret looking than hts
brother, though not as lively and strong Our Dauphin understands
maps already, just like a grown-up He is taught m play
Is Duke Ernest Augustus to reign alone m Hanover in future? But
you say that he, too, intends to cross die Channel, so Hanover will
become a desert. Jr distresses me, because I care more foe Hanover dun
for the whole of England

I cannot understand, dear Ltusc, how you could make up your mind
to cross the sea Look after yourself, for Gods sake

Versailles 4 January 1 715 I have met a good man) Englishmen in my
life* but they were not all alike Some were extremely polite, others
extremely coarse and impolite I don’t dunk it was very civil of the
King of England not to send you a single word when he knew you
were m London Even if you were no relation of his, and only his
mothers’ dame dt tnfnage, he should feel obliged to show you some
courtesy, if only out of respect for his modicr But I think die good
King cares little about those whom his modter loved What can one
say? Everyone to his own humour, and at fifty-four one no longer
changes

How ts the opera m London 7 English, French or Italian 7 What
makes me think it can’t be French is that there is no French opera called
Amemm At the opera here, only people sitting m the stalls clap to
show they are pleased, never those in the boxes If I didn’t have the
convenience of liaving die opera dose to in) apartments, I should
never set foot in it

From what I hear of the air m London, I don’t believe I could last
there for twenty -four hours without falling ill I’m told dictc is a con-
stant smell of coal, I couldn’t stand that, and die air is said to be quite
duck, which wouldn’t suit me cither
I hope with all my heart that you will setdey out nieces to everyone’s
satisfaction Your brother-in-law , dear Luise, would like to marry his
daughters, like M Hatpagnan x sms dot', but no one welcomes that.
Suitors tend to be as much in love with *les bevix yeux de la cassette
as with die beauty of the ladies

Ltuse was spending some time m London to further die matrimonial
plans of her motherless nieces The) w ere daughters of her sister (and
Lisdottc's tnlfilsta) Caroline, Duchess of Seliombcrg and Leinster the
only Ttaugravine- ever to marry' She had died UU696 Her eldest daughter.

■Let tcrsJronrMifeloijc:

J7Q

• Frcderika, becanie.' Viscountess .Holdemess. later -iiv-'the . -ycif ,;afid - die 1 ,'.-'.'-’:
younger girl mamcda-Gcfmankirisriian, Gpuritvori Dcgcmelci-SchqnTi- 1 ' ;-'
, berg, in 1717. - ■ ; .• f ~ f

Versailles 10 January 1715 . 1 ‘confess-t 1 iat ; .tHe !Kjtig ''of.-Engiarid^nSk&V'
me quite impatient — to show, so little conridtjraaqirfor&em^
his mother, and treat those whom' she loved with disdain,' dioughTtlify ;
are close relation’s ! I coine into ;thac category;- I. can’t ^tWnkVwhere he;
gets liis. haughtiness from; if I-had bceii a Protesteai:,;Kp ; . : WQmdii’t'bt ;
King. I was nearer .to the Crown than he';' ahd it is qnlythrough'niy }
family, and tliat of his late mother, that he is King now.,

I love hearing what goes on at foreign Courts; you would do'hie if
real favour if you would tell nic. about tlic /English Cour t.-.-; •

There was no lack of news from other European' Courts! The Qu^cnof-.;/
Spain, had died in February, 1714. NO time had been lost in providing^e
King with a new wife, as sexual abstinence — sclfoeaiforccd during '"
widowerhood owing to his extreme piety — made his cncourage feaf for '• .
his sanity. His second wife, Elisabeth Famcsc of Parnia^ had been dioseh V.--
by his new minister, Giulio Albcroni, whose- influence ’..Was’ rapidly- ;,
growing, and the Princesse dcs Ursins, both of whom hoped £0 govern.;- , '
the new Queen. The marriage by proxy had taken; place in September •
1714. Alberoni’s hopes were well founded, but Mmc des .UrsiiiS '.was to.^'

, be disappointed in her ambitions even before the royal couple had.'”.-
celebrated their marriage in person. . . . ' J-',./ ' ^ V ! ■

Versailles ii January, j 71 5 The day before yes ter day .we heard-; that:
Mmc des Ursins 'went.to '-meet' 'the Queen of, Spain, as she, waS.tb he her, -
Tlofnicistcrin. She was the . true ruler-of Spain. Her' pride has . cause 3 ;hcr
Tall. ' • .

;.v: - Wlicn she got to Xadraqiic, she only went/lpil^ay^ddwni ihc stairi :
itd'imeet-the Queen, and then found fault widi eyerythingj including her-
clothes and tlic fact that the Queen’s journey had taken so long. She is;
Supposed to frayc said that, if slid wcfe in the ICing’s placc^she/^puld-.-
iJiaye sent the Qiicen straight back, of at least let her ; cpol her Heels there .-
/for' /-three ’mcriths; ..of • so, .;.Whereupqn'-.tIibN.Qtid en icominandcd ; thfee.i
ofricers cif h<rih<>dyghard to -takfijhis fool out of Hef -sighc and place hei:--:
?tihder afresk^hc^.'she. despatched' a. cbunOT.-to ! ' die, ;I^g;Jcbmplau^^/

■ about :thejady,;and he replied that she 'miist'Ho whatever, she thought'.;
dikfScf she'put Her intb a .coach with one' fniid - arid'jtWclye .guards.-aiid:

’ packed djer- off to.frariee at eleven .o’clock/tha knight; -< c

Lelkrr JrcnrJJscffltte xyt

l can't foci sorry for her because she always persecute*! my son so
abominably It was she who convinced the King ami the late Queen of
Spam that my son wanted to dedirone them and had conspired against
that lives and the Crown, which was so false tlutshc couldn't produce
any proof in spite of all her briber) What innoj s me now rs that the
wicked deviL will come here I’m sure she'll spread her poison against my
son.

Versailles 12 March 1715 Regarding your niece, I am touched by your
confidence m me, and must say that the marriage you yourself favour
scfms quite suitable to me, if the suitor is rich enough to enable them to
live comfortably tn the manner to which they are accustomed For love
fades with the passing of tune, and jf hard times come afterwards, and
many children, who cannot be brought up m accordance with their
station, then hatred grows for those who arranged die marriage, and
instead of friends you will have bitter enemies f have seen several cases,
dear Luisc, and I warn you.

Mnic des Ursins duly arrived at the French Court where, to Lisclotte's
disgust die was welcomed with open arms and given a pension of
40 000 francs for political services rendered to the State

Versailles 23 April 17*5 How kind of the Princess of Wales to ask to
be remembered But give me your advice What can I send her in
return diat might give her pleasure? Little dungs such as boxes, clocks
and the like arc nicer and better in England, and one can no longer send
fashions, because die English have their own, which arc followed here
now

i have heard such a strange story from England , I wonder if it is
true’ I heard that die Trincc of Wales saw a play where some actress,
supposed to he impersonating the late Queen Anne, pretended to
get drunk, and flung herself uito a chair Then a milord climbed on to
the stage and laid about die actors with feis sword, and the Pnnee ts
supposed to have ordered lus guards to shoot him down- The entire
pit shouted that if a single shot was fired they v, ould do away with
flit King’s whole party, and die captain of die guards n supposed to
have said to the Prince dm shooting might be the thing m Hanover,
but inTngland it just wasn’t done
People here say dm the Pnnee is on very bad terms with his Either,
and thac they won’t speik to one another Hie Princess of Wales is

’ i7^' , • . ' - ■' -■•.■■V i/.r'-*! h : • -V Letters from Hse iottc*".

supposed to have deceived a sort, of petition asking Jicr to consider, just' h'
and God-fearing as she is known to be, thatthe only rightful heir fo thif -4
kingdom' is the one known as the.Prctender,. as'lie, was &hig:Jam& H's/..-. 1
son as surely as her husband was Count Komgsmarck’sri.Howimspeak-
ably insolent, if this really was said ' to the Princess I England 'is' i Tfravf:-/
country. There are a lot of stories about Lord . Bolin'gbrokc, .but.tliey^
would take too long to tell. People like thc English are hot;tp.be:foiii3i"d: ; i v
anywhere else in the world, specially if what I have written is trtiei LV’ ,
can hardly believe it. I have always heard that Kensingtbn/is a pleasant;';,
place. There, are some views of it engraved on copper. . We have them '/
here. The Genoese envoy here has taken, such , a dislike to fihgland
that lie says notliing would ever induce him to go hack, and he would - '
be sorry, if even his-portrait was found there. -

Versailles 3 May 1 715 I have my grandson, the Due dc Chartres, here,;
for whom I arranged a spectacle suitable for his age. Thxce dogs. 'thfeC y"
doves and a cat; a triumphal carriage with its passenger,, a bitch called ■
Adrienne. The big cat pulls the vehicle, one dove is the coachman, the ; ;\
two others are pages, and a dog acts the lackey and sits up behind.Hcis ;
called Picard. When tlic lady alights, Picard carries Iicr tram/When:
she is dressed up, Adrieime walks on her hindlegs. The cat’s .name' is
Castille, and she jumps through hoops. Picard can act the horse;- he'
allows himself to be saddled and carries a doll on his back for a: rider. /,
Also, this dog, and this is what I like best, dances les olivettes through.: ' ;
three hoops, very cleverly.

Versailles 10 May 1715 The old hatred will last as long as life itself,
and die old drab will do everything she can think of to : dd;in6 dis-
services, and 'cause me chagrin. She has found a new reason. no'wJ I; ,
refused to receive her old bosom-friend, who/v/as sent. packing by die. ;
new Queen of Spain: The reason why I wouldn’t see her. is.. that my sbh.f
•asked me not to : she, is liis worst enemy., and accused liiirC quite openly,
of being '& poisoner. He not only prove d his mnbceiicc.'butseh t all "die
•evidcrice/’to Parliament for safe-keeping. ■ •• f:. :

I’ve thanked you already for the dear-little engraving, -and toldybu; '
what Iielt about it. But- what are those, peoiliardieaddresses^ Brat they’ve X;
made;. the little princesses Wear? 2 ' They . look exactly, lifee me ./fold^. y

’ ... XA refetcrice 'to the ancient .scandal conceriiihg . theJove-aSair between the King s ■}
divorced wife .and Philip von Kpnigsmarck. ; \ ■■■

• v *,The E’Knfcdsses Ahhe, AmeBa-an'd Caroline, daughtere 'of the Prinrc' and.Princass -
•■of iWalesi -i- ■ ■ x. J - ■' •••-• *• • L. . .-r. vt

Utttrs fmn lascfatte 173

table-napkins % Kich are produced at German Courts when company
is reputed , __

Marty !■} May i 7*5 You can usually see from the calendar when
there is to be an eclipse Ours was only partial, not total as m England
The lost one we had, nine years ago, was shorter, though darker,
than this one. 'and was total m Spain, just as the last one was in England
A lot of people as rat over to England to sec tins eclipse I am fajdy
ttimww, hut no amount of curiosity would cvec induce me to cross the
sea What I admire js the art of calculation by which we know the
course of all the planets and can foretell to the minute the eclipses of
the sun and moon hundreds of years before they happen A lot of
people who looked straight at the sun have hurt their eyes, but there
ate smoked. glasses made and we watch through those withou t any rule

What lies are told everywhere! Our King is certainly not in the least
childish but is, thank God m full possession of his faculties I shall
reach. «vy second childhood before he reaches his, I am quite losing
my memory and shall, no doubt soon be playing with dolls again.

Marty aS May 1715 I am sending you a lock of my hair and some of
my brother's, winch he sent me before his death I hope you will be
pleased to have it Bracelets arc worn only by people who make a
point of show mg off their pretty arms and hands As I am not so
endowed I never wear mine, but carry them m my pocket m a case
specially made for them.

Marty 26 June i 715 The King took us to inspect Ins regiment, which
is encamped near here We stayed from liilf-pas' u o to sue o’clock
in tbe evening It was certainly a sight worth seeing They' all have brand
new uniforms light-grey, with gold silk hogging and flame-coloured
epaulettes The officers wear gold braid instead of silk, bright red
ribbon and white plumes All the soldiers wear moustaches, which is
very becoming They ate all tail, well-built fellows, cicry one of
them might be an officer, they look so well I know many of die young
officers because they used to come over to play with ru.V grandson die
Duede Chartres, only a very few yean ago, and now they arc grown
men

I much prefer the theatre to die open t often used to hear his Grace,
our father, say that there were no better plays in the world dun
English ones French opera singers are expensive merchandise, and a
man may easily lose his money and his health at one and die same tune.

:£e^£jQm-Lisclpi% '

174

Marly 18. July 1 715 -;.I- had one 'of my) son's: daughters ^'Wiffivmev'sHc^-
had never followed the hunt before. She'is.-the 'thitd of .the
ones — die first one died ages ago . 1 This one is called Mile de.Viidh f Va>»?
girl of fourteen. When she " was a child T thought she might grow ihixha v-" :
beauty, but I have been sadly disappointed in-.my hbpeshjSlie grewJa^- ^
great -ha wk's-nose which ruincd J everything, -yet shcdiad-.the^rfettiwt C ■■
little nose in the- world; how children change !I ''can.;,gucsSj‘Jwhat -
happened — she must have becn allowed to take snuff; and -that hhade
her hose grow. ■ '/'■•'-.yv" .jCd

If they had listened to me, not 011c of th e children ; would have been v r
put into a convent, but the mother’s ideas arc different from mine.- ;TKe
second girl is set on being a nun at all costs. It annoys rue and delights
the mother .' 1 But patience. I am sure that everyone who is mixed .up in'. =’
tliis will be very sorry. I have nothing to reproach myself iyith; because
I have done. my best to prevent it. - v.'y.' ■ . A-hi.vv C

Marly 8 August 171s As soon as I return to Versailles ! shall order my ;
portrait, head and shoulders, to be copied from thcRigatid; He has
caught my likeness so perfectly that it is astonishing. You’ll sCe,\dear • v
Luisc, how I have aged. Be sure to let me know if you-wantit oval or
rectangular — portraits can be cither. v

My daughter’s letters give me pleasure, but they arc never cheerful :
she is either ill or pregnant, or she has something else to complain of
The Queen of Spain’s 3 letters from Bayonne consist of nothing but
compliments and commissions, and often very tiresome commissions
at that. For example, she wants to make someone a bishop and some-
one else a captain of guards, then she wants an abbey for someone
else, and wants yet another one to have a pension. But if I tell you die
. bad I must also tell you die good: -through her niece, -dip Queen, she'..^.,
; did. a‘ great deal to help my son iron out his differences with. die King of c.r
Spaiii. She sceins' tp be a good creature,- only I wish slie wouldn’t use
: sb imany.' babyish words which I’m not actustdmed to , 1 such asiheart’sr •

. maim' an'd Htde 7 heart and .,bttle-treasure.vl'll , never‘ get usedr.to it';as...
long asTlive, so.I can’t'be very’ delighted with theseletteK. either.-; •

/.Mmed’Orleahs.wouldbe pleased ifailhcrdahghtefs'weretbbccpme.';.
nuns. She isn’t stupid enough to tbiiik that this. Would ease their path' ;

\to hcaverir^iioV* it’s . pure laziness. She-iis afraid that . if-hey daugHtprs' . ••••
Saverehy/ith' her -.slie ^yptild>h‘ave to look -after ;dielr educadphy'.dnd ' . -
;:she ; adtmj»; , rli^^.-^t-slM'do^*i , ..>yish. i tb'' give', herself -that '-trouble. =

1 A1 10 called? 111'. deVal )is 3 Louis ' Adelaide, ? lltc dc Chartres

•V l Msiria'Aniia of Neuhiirgl dowager Queen of Spain; - ' ‘--'-dh 4

1 st eft /rcrt Lise } otte f 17S

Vers* dfcs i S dw^isf i 70 Alas, our King is not w ell I am sc* w omcd
jtjif i -jnt half-dl myself I can’t eat or sleep properly, God grant 1 may
be -wrong Hut if what I fear should come to pass, tt would be the
greatest possible disaster dm Could happen to me 1 can’t tell y ou all the
details, they are so terrible that I can't think of them without shivering
Don't tell any one m Englandwh.it I’ve said.

The King whose health lud been failing for the past year, was suffering
from gangrene m the leg His various symptoms had been observed by
everyone but his physician Fagon, who persisted m deny itig that the
King s illness was serious Fagon treated him by swaddling die affected
limbs m feather pillows, and prescribed a diet which included pints of
iced water and quantities of over npe figs melons and rani Bernes
Saint-Simon remarked that such large amounts of font and water, un-
relieved by alcohol turned the King s blood gangrenous

Vtmtltes to August 1715 Mme dc Mainteuon hasn’t been ill, she ts
perfectly well I wish to God our King were as well as she is I should
have fewer worries than I unfortunately have The King's illness
frightens me so much that it makes my heart tremble

Versailles 27 August 1715 Dearest Luisc I am in such gnef that I
lutdl) know what I am doing or saying, but I will try to answer
your letter as best I can But I must tell you first that yesterday w c sav
die saddest and most moving sight that we shall sec in all our lives
Our dear King prepared for death after receiving the last sacrament
and miking his last wishes known, sent for the young Dauplun and
gave hint his blessing Then he sent for the Duchcsse dc Berry, me, and
all his other daughters and graudcluldren He bade me goodbye so
tenderly that I am soli surprised I didn’t Cunt on the spot. He assured
me that he had always loved me, and more than I ever knew, and that
he was sorry he had sometimes caused me sorrow He asked me to
remember him now and then, which lie believed I would, since lie
ms convinced that I had always loved him. His dying wish was that
the rest of my life might be happy I threw myself on to my knees,
took his hand and kissed it, and he embraced me Then he spoke to die
others' and told them to be united with one another Thinking tint he
w*s talking to me, I said dm I should obey His Majesty in tins as in
everything all my life He turned, smiled and said, ‘I didn't mean y ou, I
knots that you are too sensible to need this advice, I mean the other
pnretsses ’ You can imagine liow 1 felt The King’s fntneti is quite

176

&etter£fram lA&lytic.

indescribable; lie gives all his orders ris though. lie .were;oriiy 'going' oai^ :
journey. He .has said adieu to all his .peopI'e. : and. je^ rnirimi ^ ■ diehi
all to my son, -whom he apj>omt^-Re^hV-mdr"^ich ; ^hd'fem&s' tha tif<
pierces die heart. I think I shall be the first of -the royal £ahiity,td = ipU6w^
the King, when he dies. He is still alive, but grows tveakfer arid weaker^
and there is no hope -left. - • ‘

Why I think I shall be the first fo follow die King -isj'for .'doe. tiring'
my great age, and for another, as soon as die Kiing is'dead. the yoiriig;:
King will be taken to Vincennes, and the rest of us must'.go ; t6iPam, : -
where the air doesn't agree with me. So there ! shall' be sitting .'-in. riiy
grief, widiout fresb air, without exercise, and will . surely fall ilk It is ,
not true that Mme de Maintenon is dead, she is in perfect health, arid/
doesn’t leave the King’s room, day or night. The King’s constitution's
so strong that I believe they could have saved him if only they had -
acted sooner. •:

Louis XIV died on September xst. By the time Fagon realized . that ;Jr
something was seriously amiss — and as late as 22 August fouir. consul-., •
taut physicians had applauded his wise treatment of the invalid;— it was-,.'
too late. Gangrene was spreading above the knee and nothing could be ,
done. The King’s post mortem showed all his organs to be in perfect
health, and revealed that Iris bowels had a capacity twice aS great as
normal, which Saint-Simon took to explain his extraordinarily large
appetite.

The King’s successor was his fivc-ycar-old great-grandson, and
Philippe d’Orlcans was appointed Regent of France during the boy’s
minority. By a codicil to the King’s will, however, his authority was
severely curtailed, but Philippe promptly assembled the patUmint, and
emerged from its session on 7 September as Regent with full govern-
. . ing powers. • • Wy-.

' The Due du Maine had been charged with the rcspontibriityfor the
... r , young King’s safety and education. That clause, also, .was modified; andvy-
. ; du Maine was made responsible for the boy’s education.' only. Tliis’mpye .
.'••■.pleased all those who had found it-hard to accept die hastard’s elevation,-. '';

; ,/buf it infuriated du Maine’s wife, chief. of, the Regent's enemies .arid a
... ., .tireless plotter. . . 7 ?-y. s --r „ v,

Versailles 6 September 1715 It is a very long time since. I last wrote,
but I couldn’t help it. I was so overwhelmed by grief and sadness that
it was impossible to write. I saved my poor Streaming eyes for mv
daughter’s letters on Fridays arid Tuesdays, and you can imagine how
' many visitors i had to receive, and how many letters. Actually, I am

177

Ut eft — — — :

My avi,-^-. torture I S U1 h»« to »dore! But

lamairenBtclyrpontanooiu pcnou

fj%ig mo 1 bvc to essence tt through ani

rfb tSTuUott ,tl»r dor*™™, barm Butttrs too totltmr
™aLXwI by to to tot all *0 people, to army tma to
on my tort's suit, and tot to corner who deemed
L Ito; (Jit itts tfeadtod by plotting agumt my son have scat tan
S Wy atoottHged at Regent, and led to stop tort it, rngurng My
tonnsitey totinrhasnot«t,day otmght. fmafetdltc wtU twto
fr OTff jf ill and, quite apart from this such sad things are running
iLwghtrvy mmd oC which \ cannot s^k, that the consolation is fat
from compete My sou addressed thu parhrncnt Jumself and l am told
that he didn’t speak badly

Par t it Scpteit her i 715 Yesterday our late King was taken to St Denis
The whole of die royal family has scattered like starlings The young
King went co Vincennes yesterday ZVfrac cic Deny to Sc Cloud, my
son s wife and 1 tame here, and my son joined us after he had accom-
panied the young King to Vincennes Where all the others have gone
to 1 don’t know

Pins ts Septvtbcf ijts The young Ring was taken to his first Ut ie
jifjicc 1 in the parlentent yesterday My son’s Regency was registered
there, it u sale and certain now I only hope 1 may lia vc a fever soon
became 1 !uvc promised not to go away from here until I fall til Hed d-
idiej don’t count, because f am never without them in Pans but with a
fiver I could go to our dear St Cloud My sort has more important
things to think about than my comfort and pleasures I think he is
quit* detemnned to obey th c King s hut oed ers and live peacefully w«h
those srouid him. To show th.it be has no intention of governing solely
acmrdsng to ha own whim he has already fonned several cotm ok
one for wattes of state, one for religious afoir> one for foreign affairs
fct *"• f 1 *> e ™«°nly be able to set on ton deacons

selva francs to her cost, !u> been ruled bv women for all too Ionn
<to,^ rkloicAlctonv ^ jb J mywnoi ^U^ong

!7 ' 3 ^ *““T son has taken up is not easy

tfce ocCtticm, wiam to jatrknnnr tnrt w tins presence of tbe&cg

; Letters Jroni : JJschtte-

. 178

' Things are- in shch a' wretched state ’that j.t.wfll beYa ; lohg-timfe'befoW:’’
th’eyhrc'iii order- agaim Ircan s'ee-no thing 'but.work and trouble pithead:'
Arid he has jealousy and animosity . to contend with., Mprc-thdU'fortyy;
handbills against hirrriliave been ;j»ut-;up:in the town/ aridv the dues' et ■
pairs lxave tried to antagonize the phrlemeni against him top; But y rice'
my- son is well-loved by die 'paflcmcnt, die people md . die. army, .diey
. didn’t get far, arid only had die humiliation of proving tlieir iU-wilL\ •

Pdf is 24 September 1715 I see my son no more than once a day; : and;
theii for barely half 4 an-hour. People are now praising bini to die 'skies. ?
because' they all hope for favours. But since fifty ask him for what only ■'
one can have, he is left with forty-nine malcontents :and' as 'mVuy' :
enemies; My son works liard from six.in the morning until' midnight,
and I fear he will make himselfill if he carries on like that. . . y' Y; ■;

Paris 27 September 1715 Although the Paris air has . given, me'," siii'ce.v
Tuesday evening, the worst cold and cough I’ve had for ycars^-and
such a headache, too, that I can scarcely keep my eyes open— I’ll
answer your letter of die 4th/i5th r of this month, because writing to
somebody one loves is a comfort.

Milord Stairs persuaded rac to write to the Princess of Wales, and
I did so last Thursday. Will you write to tell me whedter my little note
has pleased, and whether it was as agreeable to ber Highness as Milord
Stairs would have me believe?

I don’t know whether my son will be King or not. That'lics with the
Almighty. But even ifit'should come about, lie would only be able to
act on the advice of his conscil dc conscience, to which, as you may im-
agine, I haven’t been elected. One thing, however, is certain : if he
followed his own inclination, no man would be persecuted on account ,
of his faith.

"v:;; IXiisthad asked iisclotte -to intercede with her. sori;pn behalf of.spme
V'.j^Pirptesbnts;^ 'who. -hid ‘ been : sent to die galleys for ‘raising 'to become,,-. ■;
'••■.•-.•Catholics.' - : . /. •• • v - -..-v ;•

^ 'The Regent’s rienient religious policy was- much disliked . By . tty- blay •
regime. There was a large dnti-Orieans party wliirii, ihth'e.'eyriit offhc i- ; ;
-ybUiig King’s. death/ wanted' Philip-V to. be King of'Eraiice iiistcad of ,
V : H ; yOrieahs.'The dainis of.'tke two mcn Werc-eg^ly gpbd i: Fpr-.dI:di^t the Y/v
^■;.riSCing'{pf Spain hadvriaiounced his rights' to ;the,;succ^^

:• r.-St E%lahd still fblldwed thfcjulim calendar; arid only adopted tbeGregbrian ^Iciiiar .

Letters frpm Lisehtte 179

once, ht wa* inpporicd in Lij pretension* m Spain as well as in France
Hus State of affairs made fncndly relations between the two countries
difficult to seines c, and caused the Regent to look For close' ties With
England To further these at eicry level Lisclotrc had been urged to
correspond ruth, the Fnnccss of Wales

Sbr was also asked to deal w ith Lcib'uz, wl o was ! ookmg to the Regent
for patronage Convey tng Philippe’* refusal — though pnyatily wishing
that her son concentrated ’on the gowns of scholars rather than ladies’
nightgowns’— she had written, ‘The King was not studious, but he
caused the arts and sciences to Houruh My son is the oppout-, but it
will be as it used to be in Heidelberg elector* who didn t drink built
tuns, and those who drank did not build

Leibniz

Pans 21 Nurcmfcrr 171 5 I must have done as M Jourdam docs in the
play (Jr !a j rose sans le sairpir), because 1 can’t remember wliat I wrote
that might deserve the least praise, unless I myself don’t know what is
praiseworthy What I said of the great tun w as a Hctdelbcrgish notion
My son n so beset bv irritating affairs that I can only see him for a few
minutes each day He has given out all die academics except for the
one for the fine arts He kept tint for himself, so tint he might refresh
his spirit after his labours If knowledge is the bread of heaven there
must he many hungry souk and 1 myself would, I fear, suffer the
pangs of hunger, as no one could be less educated and more ignorant
than I am

Caroline of Wales

Paris 15 December j 715 After the King's death I went to call on Mme
dc Main ten on in St Cyr As soon as I entered her room she asked me,
‘Dm Madame, what axe you doing here'*, and I answered that I
had co me to mingle my tears with those of the person whom the King
had loved most She said, ‘Ah yes, he did love me, but he loved yon
very much, too ’ I told her that lie had done me die honour of assuring
me dm he had alwa\s felt friendly towards me, regardless of the fact
that everything possible was done to make him hate me By tins, I
wanted to show her that I know every dung, but tliat I can forgi\ e my
enemies like a good Christian If she lias any good m her at all, she
must feel pain at receiving kindness from one whom she has persecuted
all her hie

Mme tie Mamtenon had retired to her rooms in St Cyr w hen the King
had died Her gnef, said Madame, was on the wane She was beginning

Letters from Liselotte

1 8 o

to console herself with little parties, and had written to the King’s doctor

that she had rediscovered her stomach, which she had lost at Court, and

■was taking supper again.

I/UISE

Paris 14 January 1716 I shall begin my letter to you today, otherwise
I may be prevented from writing again, as I was last Friday, but that
time the reason was a new one: my apartments nearly went up in
flames. I had asked to be called at seven because I had an unbelievable
number of letters to write that day, but awoke at half-past two to bear
loud footsteps on the floor above. I tried to get back to sleep, but at
three o’clock I saw my valet dc chambre lighting my fire. I told him he
must be dreaming, for it had only just struck three, but lie said, ‘I
know, but Madame must please get up, die Opdra is on fire. Luckily
die wind is carrying the blaze in the opposite direction, but if it changes
the Palais-Royal will be in flames and Madame couldn’t get out in time.’

Youcan imagine how I hurried into my clothes, dear Luisc. When the
fire had been put out, at seven, I went to the chapel to thank God for not
having beenbumedtodcadi, and then Iwcntback to bedandslepttill one.

Our litde King in the Tuilcrics is in perfect health; he is very lively
and won’t keep still for an instant. To tell you the truth he is rather a
naughty child, but they never say ‘no’ to him for fear of making him
ill. If you ask me, if would be better for him not to be allowed to over-
excite himself However, everyone wants to be in a king’s favour, no
matter how young he may be.

So far it doesn’t look as though the King of Spain will abide by his
renunciation — God keep us from new wars. There are other people
agaiust my son as well , 1 but except for the clergy no one is openly
against him, though everyone knows quite well who his enemies are;

Does Mme dc Kielemansegg 3 now speak English as well as she docs
French? Tew Germans write French as well as she does. Perhaps she has
got so fat from drinking English beer?

Paris 21 January 1716 Dearest Luise, I don’t know what the winter is
like in England, but here the cold, is greater than. I have ever known in
my life. We didn’t get any letters from England all last week. Although

* The Jesuits 'were publicly preaching against the Regent. The rest of the pre-
Spanish party was still lying low.

a Mme von Kielemansegg, known in England as the elephant, was one of George
Ts pair of ugly favourites whom he had brought over from Hanover. The other one,
known as the beanpole, wasMelusina von Schulenburg. >

Letters from JJjtlotie £81

I am sorry about it I'm not surprised, since Lwm told dm the Channel
at Calais is frozen so far out to sea that -when the English boat arrived
it had to return to Dover There was now here to land because of die tee
I regret dm with all my heart, because I long to know what is happen-
ing now tint die Pretender as he is called, lias arxrvcd m Scotland
and if they 3rc still being Cudiful to our King George

Yesterday l received tv. enty-nme visiting German prince* counts
and nobles It reminded me of an old story The year your brother,
Call lutz, was here, I was on very bad terms with the Chet alter dc
Lorraine, and die rumour went round that I had sent for Carllutz to
avenge me A. good many gentlemen of die Court fine men came to
ask rue to allow them to be die Raugrave’s seconds l laughed, and told
them that I was not going to be the cause of any fighting I don’t
know whcdieT the Chevalier had heard any dung or not but once when
Carllutz, I and several oilier Germans were together he came into the
room and when he saw us all he turned on lus lice! and ran as though
he had seen die devil

Paris itiFebmary 1716 I pity King George because lie must remainwith
the English as a point of lionour His Majesty would be so much happier
and so much more in absolute charge m Hanover, but one can’t escape
one’s fate, and what God lus predestined must come to pass Those who
side with die Pretender won’t come into die open y ct, for die thing isn' t
certain cnougK

1 am very sorry tliey lxavc the plague in Celle , the Jews who brought
it there deserve to be punished 1 would write more, but the sandman is
on my trail so I’ll say no more than tint, asleep or awake, I love you
with all my heart.

Paris 31 February 1716 Pans is an irritating place m every way, but
With God 3 help I shan’t have to remain here much longer l vc been
here since the death of die King but if God grants me life, as soon as it’s
green I slmll go to St Cloud. There I shan’t be pestered, or hear and see
something new and peculiar every day I must say one dung more
before it chokes me it vas die Pope and die King of Spam who gave
the money to the Pretender The Pope gave three million bvres, the
King of Spain three times a hundred thousand He didn’t get a penny
from my son

Cahouve op Wales

Pats aj February 171 6 I won Monsieur over during the last three

Z$2

:L'cttersJrom'Lisef6tte\

years of his life: We 'even used: to laugh together about Jus weaknesses:
He - no longer listened to ‘accusations arid tales ' abode riie.-.He H'ad 'corii': - -
fidence in me and always took my .side, but before, that '-I; used fo suiFer,' /
dreadfully. I was just beginning to be happy wkeji- the; Almighty 'took;;.'
poor Monsieur from me, and I saw die work and 'trouble of. thirty-
years disappear in an instant. . . "■ 7.77 \ 7 v 77

Paris 13 March 1716 My son is neither handsome nor ugly. He 7 used -7
to have a good figure, but now he’s getting too fat for his height; ,
because he is small. He may no longer be handsome, but the' women ,
still rind after him out of pure self-interest because he pays thciriweU- .7
This winter a funny thing happened. A young and pretty ; .lady* v y
visited him in his room, and he presented her with a diamond worth ’
2,000 louis d’or and a box worth 200. The woman has a j ealous husband,
but such was her cheek that she went to him and told him that she had .
die chance to buy these things very cheaply from people who were in'
need of money. He believed her and gave her what she asked, for. She-
took the money, thanked him from the bottom of her heart, arid with',
the golden box in her pocket and the ring on her finger went to ;an 7
elegant party. There she was asked where die ring had come from; and 7
the box? She answered ‘M de Parabere.’ He was present, and rernarked 7 .
diat one could hardly do less if one had a wife of quality who loved -
no one but her husband. There was hearty laughter, for the other
people were not as simple-minded as the husband, and knew quite’ well 7
how the land lay. » . 7 - - '

Paris iff March 1716 Once jealousy has taken root there is no getting ■
rid of it, one must take one’s stand in time. My daughter hides' her '7
feelings, but she often suffers secretly, and how could it he otherwise?-
She loves her children beyond everything, and thclcreaturef that, the
Duke is so fond of, arid this woman’s husband, fob her of every, penny' .
!~thcy are rriinirig the Dub de Lorraine; He know? quite well-'tha't niy
daughter’ kftows. everything, and I think lie is?gfatefiil:.to' her ifor-not 77
1 plaguing; jiim and for being sb patient, because helivbs on good terms-.
..with her, and she loves him so rimeh that as long as he gwes -her a few :
'kind words- sheis content arid happy. 7 ■ • ;• ’..7 7 , :

-7;*.The Cbmtcssc<i?,Parabfere 1 .'wlibhad been the Regent’s xiusness since 'the' previous . ' •

;:aunuim.’77.:77'77 : '; .' 7' 7."-:;--' 7 - -7;.. V: ! -\

'-■v'nf Mihe.;3e’:Ctaon^ the r Due: d e Lorraine’s mistress -and yhe .wife of hisfaypuntCi
7 wHomfic shortly afterwards made.-hisprcniier mhiistfa. 7 77’ •* 7 V7 -;_7 ;-7-£-'7 .V”

Litters front J.wf«tte

Hesr von Hauling*

Pans J A}>rtt 1716 It is true dut HRH the Princess of Wales does me
die honour of writing v«y diligently. Her shortest Utters arc five sheets
long, written on four sides; yesterday 1 received seven sheets making
twenty -eight pages, the previous one \vas thirty-five, and an earlier
one was forty -three sheets That takes up all my umc, as you can
imagine

There js, thank God, not a word, of truth m the rumour from Han-
over 1 saw die King on Monday and yesterday On Monday there was
a play , and the King was there, m the best of health, from beginning to
end, and yesterday he ran to the dinner-table so fast that l couldn't keep
up with lum. because I no longer lmc my kn lght-of-thc-rustlmg-
! eaves legs

X assure you. 1 am far from wanting our young King’s death Tor
my son hmtself it Would be better if he staged alive for many years to
come M> son is, God be praised sull young enough to wait for a long
while, and in the meantime if die Lord grants «i peace, the kingdom
will recover The voting King « the rightful heir, and it is only proper
that he should reign for a long time Arid if I live to see the day when
this King marries and has heirs I shan't grumble. When a thing is just,
1 wouldn’t say anything against it even if it were to my disadvantage

Caroline of Waifs

Si Claud 3 July 1716 Mmc. dc Montespan once went to a review When
she came to the German troops they shouted. ‘King’s whore, whore 1 *
In the evening the King asked her how she had liked the review and
she said, ‘Perfectly beautiful, only I find die Germans too unsophisti-
cated, the way they call a spade a spade, pare? qje je me flit* faile expUquer
c e que rigni/imf tear erf *

Luise

St Claud 7 July j 716 It is a (brought Since l last wrote to } ou, and I
■was about to do so last Friday, but is I was finishing my letter to the
Princess of Wales they came to fetch me because Mmc d Orldans was in
labour It was just eleven o’clock It was lulf-pis t eleven before the
carnage was read), and we arrived at a quarter to one When I came
into die antechamber all was very still, and I was quietly told diat she
had been happily delivered almost an hour ago But they said tins with
such sad flees that I could notdoubt that Mmc d’ Orldans had a seventh
daughter *

* W akiwer ofTaclotrc t old governess

JMUe tje Clurtrw

Letters from Lisehite

184.

Caroline op Waebs
16 July 1716 My son has three bastards, two boys and one girl, but
he has legitimized only one of them, the one lie had by the lady
who used to be with me . 1 * He is called the Chevalier d’Orl£ans. a
The other one, now a lad of eighteen, is an abbot, for my son doesn’t
want to have his bastards whom he hasn’t recognized founding fam-
ilies . 3 4 He was the son of La Florence. She was a beautiful girl, a dancer
at die opera; she is dead now. The girl is fourteen, she is the daughter
of the actress Desmares* who is still on the stage.

Luisa

St Cloud 11 August 1716 The King never allowed any ceremony at
all at Marly. No ambassadors or envoys were permitted to come there,
there was no etiquette, and everything was higgledy-piggledy, pile-
utile. On the walks, the King made all the men keep their hats on, and
in die salon everyone, right down to the captain and the sub-lieutenants
of the guard, was allowed to sit down. It disgusted me so much that I
never wanted to stay there for long.

St Cloud 1 September 1716 You mustn’t worry too much even if
I’m not always well. When you are over sixty, as I am, you can’t hope
for constant good health; it must go downhill until at last you find
yourself below tbe ground.

My doctor is not at all a charlatan, and be doesn’t much care for
medicines; but my people, who are full of self-interest and afraid that
they might lose their charges through my deadi, give him no peace.
Don’t grieve before the time comes, dear Luisc. I doubt whether
taking the waters would agree with me; diat means going for walks,
and I can’t walk any more.

I'm no use for company any more either, I have become too broody.
Only our dear Electress could cheer me up, but unhappily she
is no more. I can’t get over her death, and the King’s, too, still

1 Mile dc S6ry, Comtessc d’ Argcnton. Liselotte had written to Sophie on 21 July
1701, *My son is charming to me; he has a good heart, but he is only “Saluting die
fence round the garden", as he is in love with one of my ladies whose name is Scry.

* Jean-Philippe, bom 1702, who was made legitimate in 17061 and died Grand
Prieur de Prance.

* The Abb6 Charles de St Albin, who appears m Liselotte’s letters every now and

then. He died. Archbishop of Cambrai, in 1764. ,

4 The lady whose face was used for the picture of Antigone that the future Regent
was painting for the Electress in 1699. See letter of 26 July of that year. j

LtUcrsJrom Lhdottc 185

lies heavy on. mv heart- By the moon, it is a year today since tm death.
Tomorrow we come out of mourning AU lus children, except for the
Princess de Conti, have long since ceased to mourn him in their hearts

I have a description of England m two volumes with fine engravings
Hampton Court is shown too. and l agree that it « beaubful * It used-
only to be a bishop’s home I can't understand how one can prefer
another country, however beautiful to one's fatherland But I imagine
the Prince thinks he is obliged to say so, to make himself popular with
the English.

Caroline or Wales

Si Cloud to November 1 716 When m> son asked Mine dc Mamtenon,
quite gently, why she ms slandering him when she must know in her
own conscience that what she was saying was wicked she answered,
‘I repeated the rumours because I believed them.’ My son said, 'No,
you couldn’t have believed them, since you knew the contrary to he
true ’ So she said, Willi such insolence that I had to admire m> son's
patience, 'Isn’t 1 1 true that die Dauphine died’* , and my son said ‘Couldn’t
she have died, without my help? Was she immortal 9 ' She said, 'I was in
such despair about her death that I picked on die person they said was
behind it-* My son said ‘But you know, from die report given to the
King that I had nothing to do with it and that Mmc la Dauphine
wasn’t poisoned at all ’ ‘It is true,’ she said, 'and I will say no more
about it.'

Luise

St Cloud 1 p Not cutter 17.15 If it should turn out to be dropsy,* I
couldn’t cure myself by eating chocolate, as my fadicr did My
stomach can’t take it. If l only cat a tiny piece, 11 hurts and feels heavy

Thank God our dear Princess arrived safely at St James’s The
journey worried me greatly , because she bad suffered from bleeding
and such pains, and is so dote to the event. I hope you will tell me of her
happy delivery by the first post. HUH v. rote to me that she will give
y 01* that commission.

I should feel little gratitude if people dressed up for my birthday,
because I don't care about clothes and have never in my life paid any
attention to what people are wearing If someone put on my own

‘ Lust" hid taken a. Lome at Hampton Cowt. where the Ponce and Pnticen of
Walts wee staying.

* Ltsjotte 10 Tjjo.se, € t-loN crakes T7TIS *Mj legs are so iwollen that my doctor
fear* it may be shops) all lie more 10 os my mother d 'd of it,*

■ikttirhfroiii pUclotte .

186

■ clothes' arid appeared " in. them be&re. me,- Tshouldri’tii'hb ticc.;X: neyer
notice ' how. people are. dressed' unless /they wear something ridiculbiisi

Paris J December; i 71 6 I was very shocked that orir '.dear Princess df ;
Wales had ’such: an- unhappy lying-in, and- cried bitierly, : ,hufG 6 d. -be
praised that she is ;still -alive -and' is .out of danger. ^Pleasej.’deai? fjiutscr,-'-'
be my ambassadress, with tlie English Regent. Tell die Pritice of Wales
that rio one in the world, shared more closely in his . grief, arid in the;
happiness drat Iris .wife 'was saved. ' - ;V.'

Lisclotte was not correct in referring to the Prince of Wales as Regent. .
He had been made 'Guardian and lieutenant of the Realm* during his ;'""'
father’s absence in Hanover, as the term Regent carried die implication . /;
of toomucli power. '

Caroline of Wales had been delivered of a dead son on November
8 th, after four harrowing days of labour during which her doctor, had - :
been prevented from attending her, for reasons of modesty, ■ despite .'a V.
petition from the Cabinet. This petition had so infuriated her German '
midwife that she refused to touch her patient, and resumed her miriistra- ; .
tions only just in time to save her.

' Paris 1 1 December 1716 I am sending you a small rewardinretumforthc
good news of the Princess’s health: an insignificant little golden B630
with a- little diamond ring set with four tiny but genuine gteeri dia-
monds. I hope you will like it, and that green diamonds are still rare iri/
England. Write and tell tne if they are' common or not. v

. For God’s sake, dear Luise. doii’t start using spcctecles.' Have .a littlc,
. patience, sight improves. I have: had that experience arid now read
more easily fllari l did ten years ago. V ‘.

. , /Lisclotte hated, apparently, /all stick axrificiri ; aids. Sonic w«ks later,- ./■

• •.. f etnindiiig LuiSe that 'she' was her junior by ten ycafs. shc warned her ioff ..
V ( fahc tcetH/'Notlririg makes the breatii'stifik wbne,-therefbre giye.up thc'/ .
thought^ dearestiiuise.’ri • . •• V'/;’- -

■ Paris': 1$ Decifi j&e'K J 716 i To 'drink tha£ the Princess is already- expoang >

: li&rself on. Sun.ddy. to the danger pf smelling strong • scentef .Pshdif t- rest':
'mttil I- hear how jt-.ha| gone. If- 1 _-Mdn.- tibeimikB^ •. f -

should •have' : ’beeridead; ; lorig .ago; Every. time '-I was lying 'in .Moftsieuri

came to visit me, wearing perfumed Spanish gloves.

Letters front Ltiehlte

* 8 ?

Ludotcc's health continued to trouble her She suffered from painfully
t swollen legs, and was unable to steep Then the opposite luppcncdand
the -was unable to stay awake, and complained of shortness of breath
If I ualt the length of two rooms I snort tike a dancing-bur she wrote
toLuisc She was continually purged and bled. On one occasion during
the blood letting she moved tier arm. too soon and lost irunj more ounces
ofblood titan had been intended This madcher weaker than cv er before
Altogether, the cures exhausted her almost more than the disease, now
oflicw!E> diagnosed as dropsy

Pans 30 April 1717 Slowly my disease is leaving me but 1 look at the
beautiful weather with wistful cj es I am weak and can’t enjoy it
properly The Princess of Wales says that the English climate is making
you look thin anti ill I wuh you were at home and not in danger of
catching consumption.

Pans i 4 May 1717 Dearest Lmsc l had a grand visit today from my
hero, the Tsar I found lum rather likeable, dut is what we used to call
likeable long ago, with no affectations and without fa(on He is scry
intelligent. Although he speaks broken German, he makes himself
understood quite welL He 15 polite wuh everyone, and rs making lum-
sclf very popular

I received him in a strange get-up I can’t wear a bodice yet and
appeared, straight from my bed, in ui> nightdress, camisole, dressing-
gown and a belt

I’m given hope tint my wound will be quite healed in four days’
time, but they don't want me to wear stays even then, so I shall creep
about like tins for a few days longer

Madame was not the only lady to receive Peter l in. cPshabi lt£ The odicr
was Mrae de Maintenom who had taken to her b-d on hearing tint lie
was visiting St Cyr, where she lived in her retirement. When the Tsir
entered all tiie curtains in her room were closed, except for one half-
drawn heel-cumin. The Tsar drew them hack one alter another u*ic
window curtains first, the bed-curtains second, bot the visit cannot be
counted, a meets 5 as he only took a long bard look at her, and departed
without a single word having been exclnmged

Caboiine OP WAt.es

Sf Cloud ji June 1717 1 was very pleased indeed when Monsieur
nude fa 4 par t immediately after the birth of my daughter, because the

Letters from %iiehtt&

■ ; ' -i88

•.business, of haying babies was' not at -all /to my/ likirig;' .Sp;-. : wKeji. ; 'iie -' ; - .
proposed it I ariswered/-*Yes, Monsieur, with all my heart, ^ 'provided '
you don’t bate me 'and continue to be fond of me/, He promised tbatr ;, ,: : ;
and we, were both very pleased with each other.; •• /. •: ;

Luisb ; •: ; • '//f ^vV‘

St Cloud 17 October 1717 The King contracted ! enprmouis /§ebts.',
because be didn’t want to give up any of bis royal r sjplendodf:' . Sd, ; .
he was forced to borrow money, in which bis ministers 'were only too '
eager to help him. Because whenever die King borrowed a penny they *
and their creatures got a pistole, and by their thieving ; tricks, made ;'i
die King and the kingdom poor, and themselves good aiid rich. My ' /
son works day and night to put things to rights, but he gets little, thanks, ,
and has many enemies who twist cverydiing he does. He Has so 'litde ■
interest in money that he never even takes what comes to him by right; ; -
of the Kcgency, although he can hardly afford to go without because '. :
of his many children.

Among the people the young King has about him, who are: far frbto'\:
well disposed towards my son, there is one who though he may be Bis :
brother-in-law and looks as though he had swallowed all the saints;
is .a false hypocrite and die wickedest man in the world. In. the King s/ •
time, whenever lie flattered anyone and had a good word to ^ay to;: :
them, it was certain that he had clone something nasty. He imdcihis'.
own modier leave the Court to please his old governess die Maultehoh,.';/
and he was so afraid she might turn up again one day that lie liad : lier /: ; ‘
furniture dirown out of the window. You can easily imaginewliat such
a man is capable bf; I fear I uni .like die devil on my soil’s account,,' and .;/ 1
don’t diink my son is careful enough’ so.far as he is concerned; . ;

■St Cloud 24 October 1717 111 France aud England the dukes and milords'
.are . so extremely arrogant 1 that, if. diey had- then way^.diey ^oidd :,-
•consider dieniselvcs grander, than the.princes of the blood,’ though most ; V
of them don’t even -belong to die nobility; -I once put one of these-dulces
finely' in liis ; placci He was standing in fion t; of the Prince of Zyfr&z ;j •' :
/.h^ckeiiiand I said.Ioudly, ‘How isitdiat M de Saint-Simon is Jostling -
; the Prince de Deifx-PotttsT. Is he abbut tb, ask him to t^e one of His sohs;:^
flfor 'a'page'f’.'Everypne laughed so, much ,j he was obliged to deave,' % ' \ : y._

£££:£toud The -little King - hash .-^retty/Sguxe^ando

./’plenty/pfintefligch'ce.-bhdheds'ah'fllmaturedphffd^whppnlYlbyes'lus:’/,
'.dldrgpyem^s^ji'nb ohe ehbin;the world. He, takes a hshkehb'pepple;.'-;;

letters frprn Uxlottc 189

without reason, and loves making cutting remarks I am not at all in
his good hooks, hat I take no notice, as by the tunc he is ©it the throne
I shall no longer be in the world, and shan't be dependent on his whims

Putts 27 Miwulff i 7*7 Saint Cloud is a summer residence Many
of the rooms where my people arc lodged in have no fireplaces, which
makes them unbearable in winter I should kill most of them off, and I
couldn’t be so cruel, as soon as I see any suffering X feel pii) The
Other dung that brings me to Paris « that the Pansi ms arc fond of
me and like me to come and spend the winter here, so it « only right
that I shoilld have conic Although I don’t have much space ui my
lodgings I luve a good warm room and closet and I should be con-
sidered most ccccmnc if I didn’t return to town for the winter like
ever) one else As in everything else in life, « is one’s duty to do the
sensible rather than tire pleasant thing

One it so constantly pestered in this disagreeable Pans,* says Luelottc,
’tint I am far 60m lighthearted besides being really worried about my
son-’ The Regent 4 old eye injury — Lnelotte believed it to have been
caused on the tennis court some eighteen months ago but it was com-
monly attributed to a blow from a lady s fan— was giving him endless
trouble The treatment prescribed by his doctors only made it worse,
but it began to get a hide better when he tried *a black powder given
to him by a curf, a German’

Pans 23 November 1717 As soon as I was dressed I went to the chapel
to say my prayers, and then on 10 my son, who can now see a little
better \\ ith Jus bad eye He had been unable to distinguish colours, but
now' he can recognize red, because while I was there Cardinal dc
Polignac arrived in his red robes, and he saw that at once, so there is an
improvement

But what worries me is tliat my son, who practised great restraint
while he was taking his med lanes, will now resume hn usual enter-
tainments, and the debauched ladies will run after him and invite him
to their ruppers and mike him lead lits disorderly life, and rum his cj c~
sight or lose it altogether

Sf Clou A 3 December 1717 I’m. glad mj letters arrive so regularly now
M deTorcy is no fntnd of mine, and if he could harm me m any way
I’m sure he wouldn’t let the opportunity pass But I’m not worried

igo . ' ■ , ' , ' - - - ; .V * ? .-l V:

my son knows me too well, .arid knows -also ho w :mudi'; rdoye-Kim,'' 1 ; ^:
and it would be difficult .to set us at' odds. -'V - ■{. j v " •; v ;• :■<: .

The 'fact 'that -the letters arc sealed doesn’t mean a tiling; they, jiave
a compound of quicksUver and other tilings which, when you .prisss’it . ; -;
on the seal, takes an exact impression. When they have it r 6 ady fdr use . f !
they break .off.the sealing-wax,- noting if it is black dr red. -Then they
read the letters and seal -them neatly, and no one can.see that theyhave '
ever been opened. My son can make this amalgam (that is- wliaf it' is
called). '

Paris 2 December 1717 Fires often break out in Paris, and people get' •
burned to death. The orange frees weren’t burned, for they hadn’t yet V
been placed in the Orangerie . 1 My daughter imagines she' will arrive
here on the tenth of February, but I don’t believe it yet. I can see that
her husband is looking forward to it too; but there is his irustrass and •
her husband, who is the Duke’s favourite, and these two will hayc.the '
shirt off his back and won’t let this trip take place. They would rather
put the money in their own pockets. Where self-interest feigns, one' '
can’t count on anything. I should be pleased to see my daughter, but I , .
know from long experience that the things one looks forward -to most;
turn out the worst. Sixteen years ago, when the Court of Lorraine was
here, my daughter fell ill with smallpox three days afterwards. God
knows what will happen this time. My daughter can’t have an arm-
chair in my presence, nor can my son and his wife, so the Due de
Lorraine can’t have one either, but for the rest we shall dispense with
ceremony.

Paris 9 December 1717 Certainly I have never seen anyone— I don t
say princely, but noble — brought up as badly as these children here . 3
They have die same governess as I liad for my daughter, who is, thank
'God,'ndt as ill .brought-up. I tackled the governess, once and asked "her; ; .

. why 'she didn’t educate my grandchildren as she did my daughter, "and y
, "'she said,; ‘With Mademoiselle. you- used to back irie up, -.but when- 1 L
;• complain about these children the inother, lauglis at me and so dp they.' ; '

- jvWhen.I- realized - this I; let things take their course . 9 Since ! didn’ t inalce ;
yythe -marriage, I have .rip partiii tlieJchildren’s education . either;:^ . i .v*

During ’ a fire iri- the Orangetie die watchman , ‘wild had , put liis _iaiitcm;OU the;.:
'I’-straW. protecting tliis plriiits beiforb he dropped-off te» sleep, had befen burned to deatlKO-;
; ; Xisej 6 tt«j’s ietteLserves^td reassure Ltiise about die fife of. the' costly , trees..: ■. - "...fl \ ..

;. : f" i;I;U'el6d^5-Orlean5^imddiildren^' ; _ '-Cy r . '?. ■ ‘.'i

Letters from Lisefatte

l£f

pjris Ip D< canbcr ijvj We liad hoped that my son's eye "would get
better, as the black powder had such a good effect, but it is just the
same, although my son used the powder again. But the man who
supplied it doesn't doubt lus remedy y cc, he says that, m his experience, .
once there has been the slightest improvement the complete cute ‘
follows wad tout foil. But it takes time, and for the first two months no
improvement u noticeable, so we must he content with die liopc. and
pray to God dm it will go as the village curd says It is quite true iliac if
my son's mistresses really cared for bun they would care for lus health
and well-being, hut I can see, dearest Luise, dut you don't know
Frcnchw omen Nodung counts except their debauches and their greed,
and money comes above every thing , they don’t care an iota for any-
one There is anodier thing, too which I cannot understand, my son. is
never jealous, and doesn’t mind if his servants sleep with his nus tresses
That seems quite revolting and clearly shows diat he doesn't really
love them.

The young King visits me a few times cadi year, much, I expect,
against his will and uiclination He doesn’t care for me, and J imagine
that is because I told him once or tw ice that u is unbecoming to a great
king like him to be tiiultti and optntStre

It seems there is trouble between the King of England and the
Prince of Wales How like die English to come between fadicr and son

The cause of the breakdown of even superficially evil relations between
GeOTgc 1 and his son had occurred during the christening of the new
bnby Prince, bom to the Pnnee and Princess of Wales in November,
when there bid been a bitter altercation over who should be godfather
The Pnnee was banished from St James's The Princess was allowed to
stay until she had recovered sufficiently from the birth to be moved, but
she did not avail herself of this permission and followed her husband.
The three little Princesses and die baby Prince had to stay behind

Paris 23 December 1717 I am so sorry for our dear 'Princess of Wales
that I shed tears for her yesterday It is so pitiful, the way the Countess
of Bdekeburg described her departure from St James’s The poor Princess
went into one faint after another when her weeping little Pnnecsses
said goodbye

The entire province of Brittany is on die pome of rebellion, and
troops had to be sent there My son is to be pitied He u a tormented
soul

192

■iJeltersfimn Lhelatle

The troubles in-Brittany stcmmcd-firom iinpopular ..taxes'! ' B.^ns'tmgith 6 'v’$A’;
royal commission Sent from Paris to. collect die niohey,' Ihe nobles of tlie£f
province appealed for help to the King of. Spain' ‘as the lawful Regent of v'i&t'
France'. Spanish intervcntionhclped to keep, the pr^vi^ce;m’btu^'£Draf.i^.j
long time and was, in. part, responsible for, the hostilities [between.
and Spain which were soon to break out. ’ . -

Paris 13 February 1718 We hope to have my daughter anti her htishaaif;-]:
here next Friday, or a week today at the latest. I am ycty^plbased,^
indeed, but God grant that her visit may take its -coiirse\m(hbfi 6 M^'-F
trouble. I am frightened that the bad company with which my daughter -i
will have to mix will do their best to besmirch hef feputatioh.yIf;i->'
allowed that to happen, die outcome might be very uidiappyj.tjpcausb^-,
the Due de Lorraine is not so indifferent to his horitiur-as '&e:suai'h^e|i^ :
he wouldn’t think that any gossip concerning my daugliter; w.a?; (a/'. C
laughing matter. If I warned her I should be considered a spoilsport;.; f
and bad-tempered as well. No one would thank me for it, hotvto'sptak^
of even more unpleasant consequences, so you see it won’t : ibe ,'an : Tih^;^
diluted pleasure.

Paris 17 February 1718 I should like it to be fine tomorrow- bebausS-L;- :
want to drive out to meet my daughter and bring her here, bufif looks'-^
like rain, so my daughter may have a wet reception after all. . 'V

Liselottc’s daughter and her party arrived on February ,i 8 di. • Ybung 'vVh
. Ijselotte, who was quite beside herself with joy, had apparently .hot.,- ^
altered at all. Her husband, on the other hand, was hardly recognizable ! V'
he had become brick-red; and- even .fatter than the Regent. rMmevdey^vj
: Craoh; also of the ..party, retired to her.sickbcd soon after her amval;^:''j;
and there was a great deal of worry as to the nature of :her . dis'eiise.'r:iV."-
Madame feared smallpox, and since neither; the Regent nor the ’Duke^;'
, /himself; Hvho she knew was unlikely to'abstem'fibm.&qctur^^&^vi:^
" his mistress, had ever had the illness, she fox^w>fodii^'-jbbt;di»stei j^ 2 i'
: r i'Howtvcr, Mme de Graon reappeared a,few'days.laii*,;fi^y/rcfcdvcwdi 5 ;'^.>;
and Lkelotte was fiee to worry about other matters. • - t ,

}Paris' : i24Pebriitirf \l'7i8-J- My God, how I pity quf'-pqor- dear;Pnnceskb£V'
y.Walea !. I. heaxd'firo^England yesterday that'Eer last-boni-htdb'pEmcevi
died of catarrh on the chest. She saw him at Kensington jtist before tlie -
end. .1 wish she hadn’t seen, him, for it will be even more painful for
i her now. God grant that this Prince’s death may extinguish all the

' ‘' ,; ^?%iv.

, • ~-j£T ''

flsra** ' /

«c . >.. >» jT ,,

tfF-

M 3 dame’s daughter-in-law, Mme d’Orleans, ciglitccndi-ccncury French School-

'Letters from Usejotle

221

flames kindled at his christening 1 But alas, there is no sign of that yet
God forgive me, but! think tire Kmg of England doesn't believe that
the Prince of Wales is his son, because if he did he couldn't possibly
neat turn as he docs

Pirns 10 March 17 iS Before jou receive this letter, my Lorraine
children mull have left They intend to go tomorrow week — that «,
the Duke docs, my daughter would very much like to stay longer The
Duke wanted to go tomorrow, but I asked fot this extra week. My
daughter is, thank God, so steadfast in her morals that she can mix with
an> one at all without rah of harm But the way young people behave
nowaday s makes one’s luir stand on end A daughter who shamelessly
procures prett) chambermaids for her father, so tint he will turn a
blind eye to her own debauches 1 A mother who lets matters take their
course to further her own ends i‘ In short, ev crydnng yottsce and heat is
ho ruble and frightful

Pans rj March 171 S Never have there beat such w omen as there ate
now They behave as though their salvation consisted in sleeping with
men, those who have some intention of many mg arc still die most
honest of the lot. The things you see and hear every day are quite in-
describable, and about die highest m the land too Such manners were
not usual in my daughter's day She is in a perpetual state of amaze-
ment, unable to contatn herself and her astonishment often makes me
> laugh Above all she can't get used to the sights at the Opera, where
ladies with, great names he publicly in the laps of men who arc said not
to hate diem. ‘Madame, Madame 1 * she cues, and I say, *Q«e voulez-
votts quefy fosse, ttut JUle? Ce sot it les manures du temps * *Man elks sent
vi hints' says my daughter, and that is true

Paris £4 March 1718 I cannot eat, and my stomach is lull of wind
which plagues me at night But t believe that with a little patience it
will improve But what is not very healthy for my spleen is my
daughter's departure, they have arranged to leave next Mondav The
present that Mme de Berry gave my daughter 15 wrygalatit She gave
nee a roiHJiicrfr, a commode is a large table with large drawers, and the
top is very fine, with gilt ornaments In these drawers were all sorts of
d la mode stuff, shawls, coijjiires, atidncnttes, ribbons, stockings every-
thing that’s 5 la made, certainly worth a thousand pistoles, and very
pretty gloves, fans and

‘ Luctotte alludes to the Current rumour* about the widowed Dorhessc de B-rry
ike Regent, and the complacent lay Duefcesse d-Orliani

194

Letters from Liselotte

24 March, half-past two o’clock. I was in too much o£a hurry to ‘continue
tliis morning. My son gave his sister an elegant present, too, a nicessaire,
that is, a rectangular box containing porcelain cups and every tiling that
is needed for taking chocolate, coffee and tea. The cups are white, with
a raised design in gold and enamel, and there is a drawer with an
Indian tray. Under this tray there is a little blue cushion with all kinds
of gold objects underneath, needlecase, thimble, corkscrew-case, two
golden boxes and some more things, all made of pure gold and finely
worked.

Paris 31 -March 1718 My daughter hasn’t left yet, thank God, but it
will happen soon. You are right when you say that in such cases it is
best to look for distraction and not talk about it, and to find something
else to fill the mind, and that is what I shall do. But everything went off
very well, thank God, and my Lorraine children were pleased with
me and I with them.

But now, to return to your letter. There is not a word of truth in
the story tliat the King of England gave the Princess of Wales a present
of lacc. Unfortunately, everything is still in a very bad way. I think I
told you last Sunday of the fine gesture of the Prince of Wales, who
would have nothing to do with the people who wanted to make him
the leader of their party. If that doesn’t move the King, nothing will.

Historians arc liars, too. In the history of my grandfather, the King
of Bohemia, they say that my grandmother, the Queen of Bohemia,
was so ambitious that she gave her husband no peace until he became
king; there’s not a word of truth in die story. The Prince of Orange,
die King’s uncle, started the whole thing, the Queen knew nothing of it
and in those days diought only of plays, ballets and reading romances.

Our King, in his history, is made to withdraw from Holland out of
generosity, for the sake of peace. The real reason was that Mme de
Montespan had returned to Versailles after she had had her baby, and
wanted to sec him again.

Now, if lies like diis are told about things which happened under our
very noses, how can one believe what is said about things that happened
long ago and for away? So I think that history (except for the holy
scriptures) is as untrue as the romances, the only difference being that
these are longer and are more amusingly written.

Paris , Easterday , 17 April 1718 You will have seen from my last letter
that my daughter and her husband left here ten days ago. It was hard on
both sides. Yesterday I had a letter from her; she reached Luneville

Letters fre m Llselatte

195

safely . 5 She sent me die measurements of her eldest son, he is eleven
ttwnorrtw week and is just as tall as my grandson, the Due de Chartres,
who will he fifteen on August 4tli My Lorraine children, arc all strong,
the mo die r is strong and healthy too, and not such a lazy dawdler as
Mine d’Oil&ns Such laziness lias never been seen before She has had a
couch made to he on when she plays cards \Ve all laugh at her, but it
doesn't help She plays lying down, eats ly mg down, reads lying down,
m short most of her life 15 spent lying down, and that can’t be healthy;
in fact, she 11 almost always indisposed, one day she complains of her
head, the next (fay of her stomach, there's almost always something
wrong That can't make for healthy children, although the three eldest
daughters arc strong and well The first and the third arc big and stout,
they arc like trees, especially Mile dc Valois But enough of my grand-
children My daughter’s departure didn’t affect my health I am very
well now, and shall thank your good wishes and prayers for this

5 / Ch id s May 171$ My son isn’t rich enough tq marry his daughters
off u. ell , inorco\ er, -who wants to sec all those illborn duldrcti take
precedence over their own? I’m quire of the old school — w&dffujrirts
arc horrible to me, and I’ve noticed that the) arc ne\ er successful My
son’s marriage has spoilt my life and soured my cheerful temper

St C hud S May 17 18 I am writing to you widi a sad and heavy heart,
because the good, pious, virtuous Queen of England died yesterday
morning at seven o'clock at St Germain She is bound to be in hear cn»
she never kept a penny for herself, she gave ever) tiling to the poor, she
used to support enure families She never spoke jU of anyone, and if
someone tried to tell lice some gossip she used to say, ‘If it’s something
unpleasant about anyone, please don’t tell me, I don’t like stones tliat
attack the reputation ’ She bore her misfortunes with the greatest
patience m the world, and tins not from simplicity, for she had great
intelligence. She was polite and pleasant, although not beautiful, always
cheerful, laughed and joked in a well-mannered waj , and always
praised our Princess of Wales 1 was very fond of this Queen, and her
death grieves me

She died of a disease of the chest. Tim was accompanied by a fever
with two refouhlcments \ day, and it earned the Queen off within a
v,eck.

* The put) had hid a carnage accident at Bar, but no one -was hurt except Mice
Crsen, who luHcred from concussion and complained, according to Liwtoite, 'in the
way tmstxesic* have, m order to cuke their lovers more attorns e’

Letters front Lisclotte

1 96

I used to send a page over to St Germain, ' to find out from die
doctor who sal up with her what had liappencd during die night. The
page whom T sent yesterday came back whitefaced and upset, and said,
‘Madame, la reitie est rnorte ee matin.’ You can imagine the shock. Still, '
I had a feeling it might happen, because I had said to the Rotzenhaoscrin,
who was showing me a fan of taffeta patterns to help her choose a dress,
'Don’t be in too much of a hurry, let us see first how the Queen’s illness
turns out. I’m afraid we may suddenly hear that she is dead.’ I had
hardly finished speaking when the page came in.

St Claud zp May 17x8 As it was my birthday yesterday (the 28th
uew-style, 17th old-style, when 1 was bom), by way of a litde cele-
bration. I went to Paris at eleven o’clock to see my children. I started
widi die King, who is, thank God, in perfect health, and dien I went to
the Palais-Royal and visited Mmc d’Orleans. My son came to see jne
there, but he was too busy to eat widi us, and Mme d’ Orleans too lazy,
so I ate only with my ladies and three of my granddaughters. "We had
some splendid music during the meal, not because of my birdiday but
simply by chance, because one of the King’s musicians wanted to show
my son wliat he could do. Then I went to die Carmelites to thank diem,
because they’ had given me a present. Since knotting is now the fasliion,
they had made me a knotted bag. Tell me if you knot too, dear Luisc.
Mmc d’Orldans does nodiing else, day or night, at the play, wherever
she may be, she is perpetually knotting.

Now for your letter, dear Luise. I never drive past Chaillot without
shuddering when I think of the virtuous and pleasant Queen of England
lying dead up dicre in the nuns’ choir. It will be a long time before I
get that out of my mind. The page who brought me die news so blundy
is a new boy, not yet three mondis widi me, and he didn't know how
fond I was of die Queen. He diought he was supposed to report it as it
was said to him. The Queen was perfectly content to die. She thanked
God for her deliverance from diis life. I agree with you, dear Luise,
that she is more likely to become a saint than her husband, but I think
he must be in heaven too, he suffered with such patience ill this world.
The Queen had great fortitude, and genuine royal qualities; nobility,
generosity* politeness and a very agreeable mind. She used to tease riie
about my passion for the dieatre, but admitted that she Jiad been just
. the same. She never complained, and used to laugh about the time when
she couldn’t go out any more because all her horses liad died and she
had no money to buy hew ones. She laughed at her royal condition,
how magnificent it was, and how all the splendour of the world was

Letters front Lisclotlc 197

only vanity She soul it all so naturally and without complaint 3 lost a
pleasant companion m Her Majesty

St Cloud 9 June 1 71 5 Deaxes c Ltnsc. today I got up a whole hour kter
than usual because 1 went to bed an hoar late bit night. I didn’t get
luck from Pans nil ten I had gone there at lialf past ten in the morning
to take part til a long very boring ceremony, the laying of the founda-
tion stone for a church to be built in the grounds of a convent called
i’Abbaye au Bois [ was quite embarrassed became they greeted me
vuth cymbals trumpets flutes fifes and gun-salutes I lud to go down a
long street to where the ceremony was to take place, surrounded by all
that none You can imagine the crowds dm lud collected Before 1 set
off on my march I heard mass m die consent, with beautiful music
Where die stone ww to be laid priests sang direr psalms and saj l some
prayers ui Latin of winch I didn't understand .1 word. There was a
raised place entirely co\ ered with carpets w ldi an anm-dhair on it and
a canopy, where I had to sit. They brought me the stone It had my
name written on it and my medal set in die centre That they threw
some mortar on the stone which I liad to spread then they placed a
second stone on top After dus I had to give my blessing which made
me laugh — its powerful stuff nty blessing After that I sent the first
gentleman of my household M dc Mortagne t° the site to put the
stone in position for me as 1 really couldn t dunb up and down die
steps as y ou can imagine, dear Luisc The ceremony lasted a good hour
and a half, because after the stone was laid accompanied by the dm of
cymbals trumpets drums oboes and fifes as well as cannon-fire they
sang a Te Dcum to music, which listed for ever

St Cloud 30 June 171$ It is neither strange nor wonderful dm I should
love you Didn’t we. liavc die same fadicr, whom I loved better than
my own life’ It isn’t your fault that y ou aren’t my mother’s daughter
and you make up for the misfortune of your birth by your many
virtues

Hailstorms have flattened seven villages m Lorraine It is absurd to
imagine that there arc men and w omen hiding in the clouds w ho throw
down hailstones to devastate tr. try tiling on earth In Pans people don t
bcUeVu sn witches and you don’t hear them talked about at all In
Rouen where people do belies e in diem, > ou hear of them all the time

It is nothing new fb r a 1 msband to have a mistress , you won t find one
m ten thousand who loves no one but Ins w ife They deserve praise if
they simply in e On good terms with their w ivcs and treat them kindly

198 - . . • ^LM i&sifroih'fyjeioifi /

Mine Cliateauthiers 1 says that if you want to put. anyone ..off inarriage,- - ;
you only have to hear me talking oh die subject; the RbizcnhSu'scrniv.
replies tliat I was never. really married and 'have ho ide& wHat thie ^
marriage is. To be in love: with a 'man and to beloved ih return hlt^rs.'
things and makes all die difference. Then I accuse 'lief -of being fond of .
lying with men; she gets furious and I laugh at her. - /V/ ■■•-//

Herr von Hauling ' • .

St Cloud 3 July 1718 Tliaiik goodness I still haW a . good teermah -
stomach and a sound digestion. In die evenings I always ’cat a little ;
salad, which surprises the French. They all ruin their digestions;, by /
overeating noon and night. I think it is a real proof of lo ve to bring up
children strictly. As soon as you reach the age of reason you recognize '
why it was done, and are grateful to diose who acted for yburgbod'
with such affection. All children have a tendency to evil, and thcreforc
have to be held in check. :

Caroline or Wales > V,!.

St Cloud 5 July 1718 "When I diink of burning, shivers go down nly
back, because I know how dicy carried on in the poor Palatinate; for:
more dian dircc months. Whenever I tried to get to sleep I Used to see r
all Heidelberg in flames, and that made me start up so that I almost fell.

Luise , 4

St Cloud 19 June 1718 Knotting is more a la mode than ever, aiidfora
good reason. When ladies, who aren’t cutided to a tabouret do needle- ;
work, they arc allowed to sit in the presence of Mme de 'Berry. and-:
.myself; and knotting, counts as needlework, so when ladies come tb/,
cdl they knot. I am enclosing a set. The little bag hangs from the arm, :
arid the shuttle, . which is called uavette- here, is put inside,. together
with the cottons Or silks, when one has finished. Tet me know if dits’-is','
how it is. done in Germany and England, or if it is done diffeferitfy.’fo;.
.case you. are tired of knotting audit is no longer demean -Germany,, it"

. jcduldhe a little present for your, niece/ But if you'dimk-it is:tod in- ;
./ tignifibant, or diat people might ‘ laugh -at. you; you can do whatever /
/ ytiuiike.tinthit.;:// -/ / 5/ : ; \

'V St Cloud jJ’jiUyJyiS. yifybu were.hcre, I should make yb.u.'sitdown in;
/ iny- itlbset/ even/ widaout' knottiiig. Gatllutii . didn’t have .• a-,' idjouret .;
; : ;V ; -i ‘/ Oae of Liselotte-’sdan/es d’hbtweur, anda .lifelong friend/ 7 ?' 1 ' •; ’» .{ y

Leilas from Luelotte ^

either, but every evening I nude a pile of five or six: cushions by my
dressing-table and wc used to chat until one or two o’clock in the
morning

h is only too true that my son has trouble with die jparleinttit
He told me tl ut they were meddling in affairs which were none of their
biumcss, and as long as he held the royal authority he would keep it
intact, and return it to the King on htr majority in. die same state as he
had received it, and not allow any inroads to be made on it. Ms son’s
jister-m-law and her husband are lus worst enemies, they arc at
die bottom of all this. If he had listened to me he wouldn’t be related
to them, and could act without fear of seeing tears at home My son
jntfat certainly try to find some means of paying off five King's debts
The people arc no w orse off than they w ere in. the King’s day , but there
is no way of casing their lot, and my son’s enemies take advantage of
this misfortune in order to mate die people against him. There is not a
word of truth in the story that lie is putting money into his own. pocket

Hexr von Hauling

St Cloud 2S July 17 iS I must hurry because my meal has been served
I only want to say that I liaven't received any sausages To show how
much they like them here, they once guzzled up a w hole case that our
dear Elcctrcss had sent 1 Nobody is surprised at my liking these foods
I have made smoked ham fashionable too, and many other German
dishes, such as sweet-and-sour cabbage, salad with Speck red cabbage
and \ cruson, which was very rarely eaten here AU this I have made h
Ja mode And pancakes with buckling, too — l taught out good late King
to cat dus, lie loved it

j Luisb

St Cloud j August tytS Apropos of conspiracy, my son told me at the
pU) y esterday that the Tsar bribed one of die TsatcvitchV mu tresses
to hand over a letter which said that he had plans to assassinate His
father ’The Tsar called the great Council together, all the- bishops and
councillors of state. When they were assembled he called for hu son,
embraced him, and said, *£s it possible that vou want to have me
murdered, after I have spared your life’* The Tsarevitch denied every-
thing Then die Tsar handed the letter to die Council and said, ‘I can t

* Ikelotte Had written, to the Ltectaes* to wy that not only had the Btieget uot
reached her hut a crate cflthinew me from Lorraine had gone as way -at the same time.
'No doubt they needed the hock to wash do ms the la usages *
the Great'* ton, Alexej

200 Letters from Lisehtte

sit in judgement over my own son, you do it, only treat him fairly
and kindly’, and left. The Council unanimously pronounced the death
sentence. When the Tsarevitch heard this, he was so shocked that it was
thought he had had a stroke, but he was only speechless for a few hours.
As soon as he had regained his speech he asked to see his father Tor the
last time. He came and the Tsarevitch confessed everything, asked, in
tears, for his father’s pardon, lived for two more days, and diedrepent-
ant. Between ourselves, they must have poisoned him to forestall the
disgrace of seeing him in the liands of the knackers.

The fate of the Tsarevitch greatly shocked Liselotte, in spite of her loath-
ing of all cabales. There was no lack of cabales in France; at Sccanx the
Duchesse du Maine was busily plotting against the Regent, and was
issuing a great deal of anti-Orleans propaganda. She had also embarked
on a correspondence with Cardinal Albcroni, Philip V’s powerful
minister.

The letters that passed between the Duchess and the Cardinal, by way
of the Spanish embassy in Paris, dealt with a plot to kidnap the Regent,
and plans for a general civil war, after which the King of Spain would
be called to assume the Regency of France. This plot was not the only
problem the Regent had to face: the parlemcnt was being more obstruc-
tive than ever, and the nobles, who had never come to terms with the
elevation of the bastards, were ceaselessly urging him to downrank them
once and for all.

St Cloud 2 7 August 1718 Dearest Luise, I am writing today so as not to
miss the post, because tomorrow I go to Paris, which is in an uproar.
My son made the King hold a lit de justice. He called for the entire
parleinent and solemnly advised themnot to interfere in the government,
but only to concern themselves with their own business, which is to
execute lawsuits and. pronounce justice. Since it was known for certain
that M le Due du Maine and his wife had caused the parhment to
rebel against the King and my son, he was relieved of the control of the
King’s education, which would pass to M le Due, 1 as well as of his rank
as prince du sang. His younger brother, on the other hand, would be
confirmed in all his titles for his lifetime, because he has always behaved
faithfully and loyally. The people in the parlemcnt and the Duchesse du
Maine arc so wicked and so desperate that I am mortally afraid that they
will assassinate my son. Because, even before all this happened, Mme du
Maine was heard to say at table, in public, 'On dit queje rivolte le
1 Louis Henri dc Cond£.

Letters from Lise fata

201

ptnUtvent centre 1e Joe tT Orleans, mats Jc te mepnss trap pour prendre t me
si ttobfe vengeance de lat, jf sour at htcti in cn venger autre went. autrementd
You can see from this what sort of a creature she is, and that I a in nght
'to he afraid for any son. The people arc such, devils here, there is no
pleasure in living like this

lisefottc said that v. hen the Council members bad been summoned they
walked through the Tiulene* wearing their red robes m order to stir up
the populace, but the only cnes heard were, ‘Where are the red lobsters
going?'

Herr von Hauling

St Chad zi September 1718 As fat as M and Mine du Mamc arc con-
cerned, there arc so many rumours of new conspiracies every day that it
makes one's luir stand on. end I don’t think the devil m hell could he
Worse than die old Maintcnon, her Due du Marne and his wife, who
says loudly that her husband, brodicr-m-law and sons were nothing but
cowards. She, a mere woman, would demand an audience with die
Urgent expressly to thrust a dagger into his heart There you see, M
Harhng, the meekness of this lady’s spirit, and how much there is to fear
from people like that, especially when they have such a large following.
Bor their tab ale is very strong; it consists of more than ten people,
die richest and greatest of die Court And, what is worse, die
nch«t, all of whom support the Spanish party and consetjuendy die
Due and Dnchcsse du Marne, want to have the King of Spain here My
son is too clever for them, dicy want someone they can rule according
to tbeir own ideas, and the King of Spain would be quite suitable for
that. So they will leave no stone unturned until they see him here, and
for this reason my son’s life is in danger. If disaster should strike, t beg
the .Almighty to take me first.

LtJttE

St Child 2 S September iyi8 It isn’t idle flattery v, hen l say I wish y on
iwA jw ao my deset — J jeafly saesst h. Y&a j/r /s tony nh.cn y&u
say that )ou aren’t devet at thinking of diversions or nice to look at.
Do you tbmk I only need Venuscs and Belle Tit 12 tie faces round me, and
that h at my age, am surrounded by nothing but dancing, leaping
persons 7

St Clvid 2 9 September \yt& All Frenchmen love Pans above every-
thing. I am fond °f die Parisians, but I don’t like Paris; everything

202

Letters from Lisehtte

there is unpleasant. The kind of life they lead there, and every tiling one
hears and sees, is unbearable. It is quite true that women have their
veins painted blue now, to make people believe their skin is so trans-
parent that the veins show through. Another thing that is true is that
there are fewer beautiful pcoplenow than there used to be. I dunk they
ruin their looks with all their paint.

Herr von Harling

St Cloud 20 October 1718 The Spanish ambassador, the Prince de
Cellamarc, is very clever — lie’s a wily character. The Duchesse clu
Maine totally forgets that her husband is only a bastard who is forced to
deny his mother, because if it’ were proved that his mother, the Monte-
span, was a married woman he wouldn’t be recognized as die King’s
son, but, according to law, would pass as die son of M de Montespan.
She has convinced herself diat the Due du Maine is the King’s rightful
son, and that he suffers the greatest injustice in the world by having my
son given preference over him.

Caroline of Wales

St Cloud 4 Novembct 1718 The reason why Mmc la Dauphine 1 was
always surrounded by wild young people, almost all of them relations
or connections of the old Drab, was that they all tried to amuse and
entertain her for fear diat boredom might lead her to look elsewhere for
company.

Afterwards she liked to have young men in her rooms, to amuse
die King, who enjoyed seeing diem tear about. They only allowed the
King to see tlieir innocent amusements; everything else was kept from
him and lie only learned of it after her death.

It was a sort of pleasantry that Mine la Dauphine called the old
Drab ‘mm tanic . All the maids of honour used to call their mistress,
die Mar&hale de la Mottc, 'mama’, but if die Dauphine had called the
Drab mama’ it would have been taken as a declaration of die King’s
marriage. So they left it at ‘ via temte.

Herr von Hauling

St Cloud 17 November 1718 How Alberoni made his fortune had
.nothing to do widi merit. It is radier a dirty story, but since it is
quite funny and I hope will make M Harling laugh, I shall tell it here.

When M Vendomc commanded the army in Italy, the Due de
Parme sent the Bishop of Parma to treat with him. M Vendome had
1 1 The late Duchesse de Bourgogne.

Let (erf from Lite letter

-03

many good points, but, as with most people, they v. ere mixed tip with
bad points, and the Due de Vtndomc had two great faults, liu de-
baddies with men, and ho disgusting and shameless dirtiness In all his
life in die army lie never gave an audience except from his close-stool
So he made no more fa(on with this Bishop than, with other lugh
oiheers, and sent for him. The Bishop arrived with a large retinue,
many clergymen, dnd they all ceremoniously entered die room, w here
they found M de Vendomc on lus beautiful throne The Bishop was
given a chatrfnr his talks with M de Vendome When he saw that M de
VeudSme's face was covered vs ldt a mass of scabs he said, ‘It seems to
me, monsieur, that you are very hot The climate m. this country can't
agree with y oil * M de Vmdfimc answers, ‘It's much worse on my body
than on my face — look’, gets up and confronts the Bishop with lus
naked posterior The Bishop rises and says ‘Monsieur, I see tliat I am
not the proper person to negotiate with you, our manners arc too
different but I shall send you one of my aiirtwmers, who will be just
yonr/tnf . and sent him Albcrom He was once in the room when M
de Vcnd6mc was about to wipe lus bottom, ran up to him, fill on his
knees and exclaimed, ‘Ah, quel ail d'attgf!', and M de Vendomc was
so charmed that he kept him with him and made him lus favourite
Albcrom betrayed his master, die Due de Parme, to M de VendSme,
and afterwards, when Vcntlome was in Spain, he betrayed him to the
Prmccssc dcs Ursms, and the Prmccssc des Ur sins to die Quern of Spain
This is how that honest man made h*i fortune

Caroline or Wales

Paris g December yjtS My son had to have the Spanish ambassador.
Prince de Ccllamarc, arrested Letters which lie had written, were
found on a courier, the Abbi Portocarrero, who lias also been arrested,
revealing a plot against the King and my son The ambnssador \ as
arrested by' two Councillors of Sure

Herr von Hauling

Bans 1 5 December 1 7tS 1 was so shocked aiul confused tv the dreadful
treachery against my son which has been uncovered that I was incapable
of writing The Almighty revealed the affair in the strangest way My
son had been asked to arrest an English bankrupt who was travelling
through Prance to Spain Tins bankrupt had with him a Spanish abbi,
a nephew of the Cardinal de Portocarrero, who lucl recently died,
and he was so ill at ease that they became suspicious, and thought the
fellow must have something on him They searched him. and found a

fetters froiiifeseiotte ■■

204

package^from:-:tHe;Spankh. ambassador, - Prince Ccllamare . 1 To- add- to <
the misfortune the -abb 6 *s valets .who. was travelling dnore'slq;wly, met .
the regular mail. When he. asked wiiat -news 'there was;' he’Iearaed that:
an Englishman and -a Spanish abbe had been: atrested ■ at PoitiershHe- :
inimediately .put his horse. i:Oiind : and galloped back - to <Paris;’ went '
straight to the ambassador and warned' him that his parcel .hadheeiV':
found. ,Tlie ambassador lost no time m burning-all his papersi and he;
had.time-to speak to all his couriers: So I.feel. that not everytluflgvhas
been discovered. ‘ • . ‘ v ' Y"- YY; . Y:': ; : /

Paris 22 December 1718 How happy are those who have nothing worse
to fear than thieves, for thieves are more easily dealt with than people,
who couspirc against their fatherland and plan to assassinate their
rightful masters. Such a thing leaves one in fear and trembling. It is
now known that my whole family was to have been assassinated, except
for me personally, because I am, quite undeservedly, loved by the.
people, and it was thought that the people would revolt against them
if they did me any harm. As though l shouldn’t be harmed if my son
and his children were killed!

Luisb

Paris 2p December 1718 Dearest Luise, I meant to write two hours ago
but I couldn’t, I had such a shock that my hand still trembles. My’son
came and told me that he has had to arrest his brother-in-law, the Due:
du Maine, and his wife, because they are the ringleaders Of this.abomin-'
able Spanish conspiracy. All is discovered, proof has bcen/fotnid in the
Spanish ambassador’s own. handwriting, and die prisoners have con-
fessed every tiling, and at is all too. true— the Due v dm Mameds -at .the.
head of the Conspiracy. My son was forced to arrest hini, his wife and’
allhispeople.'.’ . :: . • .• 0. hi

' HElta yON HaHLING .. : " • r . ;Y\- : V, '• ’YV'YY

Paris 5 January '1719 C)ric of the prisoners i»:the:BastiIle has confessed
•eyferythihg already j . and .two:: noblemen admitted receiving' money
'front. the.Diic du Mame tp-.insrigatxi revolts in -the provmces.-^hehhc
•heard; d.iis; : ih.y : son; in die King’s name,' ’had the iDuchessc .du - . ‘Maine;
,:arecstcd_by the,cstplajn. of.tbe^Khig’s guard, •hecaiiie, she' is ^pfiitcesscjdii .
. ; irff^‘ ; :but.'lier. ; 1 ii^baiid, ::tvho .is not. a prince, wit sdiig, was arrested-hy 4 •
•Heutciiaiit. 1 ; o£ die lifcgfuards. •' ^ Cardinal;. de; Poljgnac: has'bcen r'eidleavtO'.

ii^Vhlibeys>'-iie was .Mmc du.Maine’s lover, valid .slie Hrery lirtn. ,
- Yy V-;. . : j ‘-trhe;package was discovered uiidcr die flobr boards of th'e'eoacfa; , :

Letters from Lxscbtte

205

mto the plot. Formerly, in the King’s lifetime, this Cardinal and my
son -were die best of friends, un til die Cardinal fell in love with Mmc du
Maine when he saw her performing m the theatricals at Sccaux. You
can imagine how much the arrest of die Due du Maine and lit* wife
has grieved Mmc d ’Ortons and the Comte dc Toulouse— who is a
ver) honest man, and never in his life allowed himself to be involved m
hi* brother’s schemes — as well as Mmc laPnnccssc and her daughter, the
Princess* dc Conti It breaks one’s heart. The Due du Maine thought
th at nodung could ever be proved against him or his Wife, because they
never wrote a single word in their own hand and had everything
written by one of the laches and a chambermaid But Alberom’s letter
Speaks clearly enough

LutSB

Pans 5 January 1 719 Last week I told you how it came out that
die Due and Duchessc du Maine were behind the conspiracy Since
then we have found out something else that points to die Due du
Maine A letter to him from Cardinal Alberom lias been found, con-
taining thesewords *Dis qae J t guerre sera ditlaric x mettezlc feU a tautest os
ttitnes ' Nothing could be clearer they arc wicked and damnable people.

The two of them are two little devils led by two old witches and
supported by two archfiends The Due and Duchcsse have written to all
and sundry whitewashing themselves and blackening my son's name
You can't imagine what libels they have spread against my son in die
provinces, and abroad too My son s enemies have such a large folio wring
among all sons of people that l am hard put to it not to be afraid. My
poor son has no tnnetobcill.andheliadtorush to the quinquina bottle.

Pans $ January 1719 Dearest Luise, once again we hav c bad news The
entire palace of Lunifvillc was burnt down, with all the furniture on
the third of this month at 5 o'clock in the morning 1 A hut caught fire
and the people m the house, wanting to keep quiet about it, started
digguig trenches underneath and thought they had scotched the flames
But the wind carried the fire to a nearby timber yard, the wood caught
instant!), and the fire spread to die ballroom, from the ballroom to the
roof, and in an hour everything was burnt down The garJe-meubte
was the first thing to go They tried to save die archives and papers,
but a hundred people were burnt to death in the attempt. The palace

1 The chSrrau of Luadvilte, reitorrd after the fire, is some twenty im'» outs ie
Nancy Luctcite suspected that it had beer deBberat-!y burnt down at tie instigation
of Mjtjc dc Mwarenoa, us revenge for the treatment of die Doe du Marne

2o6. : ;

Letters from Lisploile .

chapel; .too, ■.'which.-. was': newly/built and, .is said .'.to rhave/beejx/ very.-,
/beautiful, -is in ashesi The loss is reckoned at fifteen, or twenty, million. ■
The' children were saved, and carried out wrapp^ in. blankets with
oiily theiir shirts.pn.theirbacks. My daughter, who had nothing to coyer :
her legs,; intended to have herself carriedoutin a e//a/se, bnt her porters '
were trembling toomuch.to be able to carry her, and my poor daughter
, was forced, to walk through the snow, in the garden with bare feet, ahd
the snow lay .two 'foot deep. • .

T£bbr von Hariing ' '

, Paris 26 January. 1719 My. son’s enemies, who are very numerous, at
Court, don ? t spread. their lies about Iiim because they love die Duchessc
du Maine but because they liate him. Tliis is all the more ungrateful
because he has done more for the courtiers since he has been Regent than'
the King did in his entire reign. But when there is a Regency everyone
who isn’t Regent is discontented. • ,.

The fiendislincss of die Due and Duchesse du Maine is indescribable. ;
Nothing would surprise me about him, as his modier was die most
frivolous, unchristian and villainous person in the world. But what is s6
amazing is that his wife, who had the most virtuous mother, is still
. -WOTRC. <

, . My son’s wife is to be pitied. She held the mistaken opinion that her,
brodicr suffered an injustice by not being made Regent, and having her
husband given preference over him and the princes of the royal line. She
. refused.to see that it is a shameful thing to be a bastard, and that she has ■
been elevated by her marriage. It often makes me so impatient that t .
Jiavc to leave the room radier than be forced to talk about it. •

; PS..' Now- :cbfnes a, request: to send me a packet of red .cabbage seed,

' winch is not to be found anywhere in France. I want to grow, them at
•St Cloud,' for if I should see die year out I hope they will cure niy cough; .
/since npdung. is better for my chest.! ' * .‘ify

XlFlsfc" ; - *: '• - ; .V. " '

'■Paris jS' Vehniaryi7j9 ' -It. isn’t surprising 'that you are getting rio letters.,/
; from; England/ at ..-die moment, seeing- what atrocious '■ winds/and:/
storms ,we : arc haying/ndw. There . was a.storm here a week or ten days '4.
■ ag'6; tef :i did quite ih«edible; thmgs.-Tt stripped thc.lead off.a 'duircii
'sfeepie^hd. carried ;it; across /the .riyer to another wUage,'-'it'/lifted ; jrw9; . :
great;fheavy : cliurcli 'doors off.their hinges and stood diem up against a •.<;

;.waira.Hundmd'^c^.away,'.ibtbmeddieweatHefcbck;.upsjdedoympri,-; :

•ftiq'steepie of SfGerinaih4e^Auxeri:pis,.and split atree, ^sharpened: the

Lctttrsjrom Lise toiie

107

end and planted it upright in the ground twenty paces a\w) as though
K w as growing there

Pans 26 February 1719 1 wanted to find out from my *on i<“ it was true
that lus wife was trying to persuade him to go out at night down to
the masks at die ball 1 He admitted it, and added that w hen he told, her
be wasn’t going for my sake, she answered tliat her daughter , the
Berry, was frightening me on purpose 30 as tn ha\ c lum to herself, and
that lie was injuring Tm reputation by showing that he feared for his
life 1 beg you, dear Luise, tell me if the living devil m hell can be more
c\d dun this creature I have always regarded this nurnage as an
atrocity, and you can imagine hoi/ pleasant it is for me to sec tlus sort
of treachery now

My contessor is doing has 1 cry best to convince me that nothing m
the least wrong is going on between the Due dc Lorraine and Mmc de
Craon, and that he is never alone w uli her l laughed in Ins face and
said, *Afo« pfre, tell tliat to your monks in the cloister, who know
nothing of the world- And if you dunk you arc white-washing die
Jesuits, who are their confessors you deceive yourself because all the
world knows that they tolerate double adultery '* Pirc Ligmires was
silent, and lie hasn't mentioned die matter since

CAROLINE Or WALES

Pans 2l March 1719 The Craon used to be my daughter's maid of
honour, and that was when the Duke fell in loie with her Craon was
m disgrace at llic nine, for he had cheated dreadfuU) at gambling and
w as to V- dirown out for a rogue But as he w as a clever fellow he soon
noticed that lus master had fallen in love with .Mile dc LigncvtUc,
though the Duke was keeping it a close secret At the erne my
daughter* s dame d alour died and die Duke knew how to turn events to
make her the new dame d atom Craon is rich the dame is hard up, and
he proposes to marry her The Duke was glad to give her to someone
W’howouldplay up to him in this affair, so she became Mmc Craon and
afterwards my daughter’s dime d'atour Then die old dame d hontteur
died, and my daughter thought she was doing the Duke a great favour,
and Craon too, by appointing her as dame d hoiineur, and that’s what
brought her into d/shomeur

1 PubLe halls at die Opera — w hen the v earing of masks was lie only condition of
admission— |i»d been held race 1716,

* LiSclctte was icfcmng to Lows XTV pad Mice de Montwjeui

Herr von Harxxng , - i J ".

Paris 30 March 1 719 M Rigaud,' who is

will start Harling’s portrait tomorrow. He didn’t want :to bcgiii^Hl^tlie:^';
days, got longer, because hepaintewery slowly aiid iieeds’adot qPu^O;^;;;:
But there, is -no one like him for painting a likraess; ,he/caugKt bbtii'tbe''.'. , 'i
late King and.me so very well. - ■■ '- y • . ;;v. y y-'v-

We often have news, -but it is rarely goodf Yesterday -the -yo Vihg -'--; : : :
Due de Richelieu was taken to the Bastille because some letters badH'
been intercepted which proved that he has had d{^ 3 ings t wldi ;Alber^iu ; ^^
This young person is the coqtieluche of all- Paris;' with WOmtm : of'e^ety
condition running after him like , (by your leave) bitches on' beat:!;,. .
It was a scandal to see. He had an amusing idea: once*, lie had ^aU: my?*?'
mistresses painted in tlie habits of the various religious; orders;
said to have a great many of the portraits. Every0n6;cphsideK!'biV^f'^
charming, but I never found the little toad charming atnlI;<Thc:brae%!‘
devil — -I always call him ‘the goblin’ became he looks jusbilike ^;^.’
poltergeist — is being sent to the Bastille for the third time,
emerged for the second time he said, ‘See that you keep my apartment
clean, I shall be back.’ • V .cis*.*

Luise

Paris 16 April 1719 In spring and summer Schwctzingenlwas"mce 0 p^!'?--!
live in than Heidelberg; there were better walks in die Kcbchcr'wopdr
If it is still in existence, you will find plenty of cxaiUeubsfta!wbCn^es:^j-;
there soon. In the little wood between Schwctzingen and 'Heidelberg^ !;i!y!
they used to be very good too, but the best bilberries are in Pleidelbergsv^j
by the hill. There arc none to be found around Paris. 1 'have .them sent
from Normandy; but they ate smaller, sourer- and .«hjer'.thbi'ithpse-'in\.; v - , :i,
the Palatinate. . i -• ., ' * ( *-

PS. 3 .. I heard this morning that the old Mdiutenon crbakedvyfesterqay.vl #
efrferiing between 4 and 5 o’clock. It 'would have been a . great gopav'
fortune if this, had happened thirty-odd, years ago. - . -• p; l!

Herr von HA'reing ;. ' ‘ - . ' \ ' *>" ,t\

’:Pdris'2o April 1719 - Last Saturday night wfi lost a pious .’soul at St 'Cyi51'';
•thel.qld.'Maintenbh. ^" thunderstorm -was; .the cause 'bf',her';ddatH!Tt \ j

•'''??{* ibuis Feman4 Armarid'du Plesssis, Due de Richelieu, had beect Wigaged in a
, ,; 'jiiaayT«^''s^utt;abbyc.'3m ; sufitm.\Ncw'’Iie-was'liavij^'ahr.™?!Jr--TO0i.^lsoc|i»Vj.
L least firyDiititc-graddcliild, iville cte Valois, who ; was .utterly m&UiAtcdjwidi him:

5 vr'Vtius-was written on the outside 1 of the letters -which .was ready fofpdsting.;, i

Letters from LisrloUe

made the measles from winch she -was suffering turn inwards, and she
died of them just as if she had been a young person She had taken four
years off her age. she said she was only ttghry-two really she was
eighty-six If she had died twenty jean ago it would liavc given me
great pleasure, hut now Y m neither sad nor glad

l must say, t wish the little goblin, damn hun would get his just
deserts — he really is too impertinent To show that he doesn’t mind
ahout his imprisonment, lie sent for his flute and his bass viol and for a
draughts-board with which to amuse himself He is spreading the
tumour all over Pans that my son had him put into prison for making
do«x pence at Mile de Valois My son’s patience with this insolent fellow
ts driving me wild. Hailing was supposed to give M Hiqaud a third
sitting today, but lie was in no condition to sit still having eaten too
well of a good sucking-pig He couldn’t even go out with me yesterday

St Cloud 6 May tji p I’m beginning mj letter today because I may
be too weak tomorrow In an hour’s time M Tcray is going to bleed me,
by way of precaution It is a portie ic plmsir which I am holding with
my horses, they arc being bled today as well

St Cloud 7 May 1719 I don’t think your nephew will be able to write
to you today, because blood-letting is the height of fashion at St
Cloud Yesterday it was Frau von Radisamhauscn’s turn and nunc,
today it’s Harlmg’s and Wendt’s—- there will be much German blood
spilt at St Cloud Front me they drew the most beautiful blood m the
world just like chicken’s blood

Si Cloud tt May 1719 Mine dc Berry has had a hard nine since she's
been at Meudon She’s had a continuous fever foe the past fortnight.
It‘s gone now, but it left her so weak that she has to learn to walk again
kkc a little child, and must he held up by the arm.

It 15 not so astonishing that die Main tenon died as that she died like a
young person If people can recognize one another in the next world,
where all is equal and no differences of rank exist, die Udy will have
to choose between Louis XIV and the cnppfcd Scanoa IF the Kang has
learned there what was concealed from him in this world, he will
gladly return her to Searron

At the end of March Mme dc Berry had discreetly given, birth to a
daughter The Either was her favourite. M de Ibom whose attentions
she shared with her female favounte Mile dc Mouthy lasclottc learned

■ ■ 2.10 .

■Letters ftomLtselofte ■

- of this affair only' after ho: gfaiicldaughter/.wlio claihie3 ' to. h:dvelimrrieii ;
.. Riom.previpusly.'-'.'was dead. *l3ie.'ailld.liyed to'becomc a mm.' H

CabOXIN E OF 'WAf.ES : " !’ J '*!-l

St Cloud 12 May 1719 When - the Maihterion Was .toldshe'-was gh iti^ ’ ’?
to die she is supposed, to have’ said, ‘Mourir, c est let moindre iyehement -

de ma yie * . ; ' > ' "f " • - • \ V'-?’-'*

Ixjis'b'' • i\‘ i--

St'Cloud-13 May 1719 You ask what lias.niade 'me so .irritable: . I
can’t give yoii. the details, but it was the maddening flirtation between
Mile de Valois and that dreadful Due de Richelieu, who. has passed.. .
round all'her letters to him, because he only cares for her out of .vanity.'. .'
All the young people at Court have seen the letters in - winch sne;;
arranged their assignations. Her mother would have liked me to have
her back herewith me, but I’ve refused point-blank. No one deceives -
me more than once . 1 But they won’t take no for an answer, and you can;,,
imagine how much that infuriates me. I really loathe the creature, and '
Can hardly hear to look at her, which I can’t avoid if I want to prevent ,!
even more gossip. The sight of that stupid girl makes me quite sick;

St Cloud 4 Jtttie 17 ig Yesterday, in Paris, a man of eighty died; may
Cod forgive liim for the harm, he did me during the thirty yeirs T;;'
' lived. With Monsieur! It was the Marquis d’Effiat, who . used , tix.be -..
Master of the Horse and Master of the Hounds to Monsieur , 1 and ■ later .
to nly son. He bequeathed a beautiful, house and an estate worth a-"
hiindred thousand francs to my son, who>. however, didn’t • want -'to, ■

’ Accept -it -aiid gave it- to. the heirs. He was enonnously ricli, and. kept ;' 1
[ chests full Vqf.gbld- in his rooms, so that when a fire broke out" there ;,
recently six inch couldn’t shift thetii because diey were so Heavy. -He ~
.leiives no clnldreiffand Jiis heirs are overjoyed.-;

ySt.fCloiidsp ./Writing isniy favourite occupation; because; •;

vj .dofft likemeedlewbrk;'’ to.’my initiff there is nothing, more tedious;;
..inthe wprld'tlian putting in,a. needle’ ‘-and pulling .it out.' again.;:;

’f' 1 ' VYou'did make nie laiigh^: dear Luise, -wheh:yoii said t^tmy lettetii'i:

, dti/you- as much good' as -balsam on .your head/ It is; to The hoped; at/

.'••V* Offa preyioinoixano^-'wlitii'jMjle de Valois' hid visited Listiotteat St Cidud,shc/
•>liad ? cpiidurte'd ber.. Richelieu i^/re.’fchere.Tasdotte found oiit, andiproihptly .packed /
> her granddaughter back'hornfc;' ''i';.' s - 1 V. ; ;

2X1

i Letters from Usehlic

- feast that this balsam -won’t flow from your brad mco your beard, as it
did with Aaron. 1 = 1 t

~Mt t lame, tlic Abbess of Maubuuson, never liked being waited on.
She said. ’I have left the world in order not to sec any Courts’, tucked

1 up her habit, and walked all over fid convent and hergatden by herself
She used to laugh at liersdf and everything else, and was very amusing.
She had our father’s, the late Elector’s, voice, resembled him. about the
eyes and mouth, had many of his mannerisms, and knew how to make
herself feared and obeyed.

Si Cloud a June 1719 l see from your letter oF die second that the
King of England reached Hanover safely. f may say 'jc rccounais tr.on
sang* from the aversion he has to all ceremonies, for they are unbear-
able to me Dut it can’t have displeased die King that die peasants and
townspeople followed him all the way to H errenhamen with their good
wishes, because that u proof of the great affection they have for the
Elector.

Caroline or Waliss

St Cloud 1} June i 7*9 hi ray opinion die Duchcsse dc b Valliirc
always loved the King; the Montespaii out of ambiuon, the Sembue
out of self-interest, and the Mamtenon out of bodu The Fomanges
loved him With all her heart, but like a heroine dc romcn 1— she was
frightfully romantic. Ludre loved him too, but he soon had enough of
dm amour. I couldn’t put niy liand in die fire for Mine dc Monaco
an d swear that she never slept with the King. Lauzun went out of fa\ our
for die first time during the period when the King was in love with her
Lauzun had an affaire rfgUe with dus woman, but in secret. He had
forbidden her to make eyes at the King, but once, when site was
sitting on die floor and entertaining the King, Lauzun was in die room
as captain of die guard. He was so overcome by jealousy that he couldn’t
contain himself fie came up as diough to pass by Mine dc Monaco, and
stamped on her hand so dreadfully hard that he almost crushed it. The
King, who first lea rat of the affair through this, grew angry, Lauzun
answcrcdback, and that wasliowbe was sent to the Bastille Tor the tint
time.

Mmc de Ftcimcs once said to Monsieur, *Vous ue dfsUonorcs. pas le , r
tfaiiics qul vans hmiumt, tnais dies votis d&honorcnt ’ He was blamed, too,
for allowing hirasel f to be ravished by Mmc dc Monaco — she made him
sleep with bee a gams this will. I knew very well that be Iiad nothing to
* Palm xjj. a.

212

Letters -from Liselaiie

do 'with, the Grancey, hut I couldn’t bear the way this yfomanyniade ;
money out of my whole household, and that no. one ever bought ah ;'-
appointment in our house without paying this . Grancey 'hcr.ppt.de. vt'ti;- .
nor that she was insolent to me and always made trotiblc.betvyeen nie'i :
and the late Monsieur. I often gave her a good piecepf myhhihd,. ancl: : /
people who knew no better took that for jealousy.. The Gheyaliet'de'
Lorraine became her aniont didari as soon as he returned from Rome; he': -
and d’Effiat made Monsieurkccp her; beyond that He didn’t care for her!'':
at all. But he got so tired of her eternal begging that he would have.;. ;
thrown her out if he hadn’t died first. He got very tired of the Chevalier! J;
de Lorraine too, because he saw that his attachment was ©lily self- r
interest. During the last three years Monsieur wouldn’t hear a word . said,. ,
against me, lie declared that he wouldn’t stand for it. • ' . • . -

Luisb

St Cloud 22 June 1719 The doctors now say tliat the pain in Mnic’de
Berry’s feet isn’t caused by gout, but they don’t know what docs. "
cause it. In the meantime the poor creature is suffering quite dreadfully, ;.
it is pitiable. She is growing dun and weak, and I’m beginning 'to.be /
afraid. I hadn’t seen her for a couple of days, and found her very f' .
changed. Her life last year was extremely disorderly, and r told her, '. .
that she would come to regret it. She wouldn’t listen and now sheisy
sorry, but it’s too late. She used to come here three or four times' a
week to bathe in running water, staying in the water for four hours,
stuffhcrsclf widi ham, sausages, salads, cakes, pastries and fruit until ■/:
eight o’clock in the evening, sit down to a meal at 10 o’clock and gorge y
herself until one in die morning, walk about until four, breakfast 'on'y,/
cheese,- milk and cake, and then go to bed. How can that be healthy?,' 7.

Mmc dc Berry died On July .20th. The post mortem showed her liver to. /
be diseased and her stomach ulcerated. The Regent was distraught with
grief, but ‘He docs ' not want 'to weep and tries to be strong’, .says y'
Xisclotte. Mmc de, Berry’s body was la id to rest without a funeral ora- ; ! : , ;
• don because, according to Liselotte, they had such difficulties in compos- V" 7 - -
/ in'g one tliat' they thought it : better to do without. - . ’'C‘- ■

'St- Gtoud i 0 August :i 719 . I never thought- the late Dudiesse.de Berfj', ••
wptild recover from' her illness; she.had such a poor pulse throughout, ’r
yBut-'diat waslhot surprising: her favourite killed her as surely as' if she ; :
had cut ; her . throat. /Whenever she vvas there to look after heri sbq:
brought her all sorb of things ’to eat 'arid drink, pate, salad, melon, -figs/. •.

titters from Uschtte

plums and iced beer, which transformed the Jiivre laUe into a fibvrt
continue widv two rcdoullemans each day, and dial killed her. Tins
favourite, who is called Mouthy— -she is the daughter of a woman who
was under-governess to Mmc de Berry — ran away three hours before
■ her Princess's death. Otherwise they would have stoned her, Mmc de
Berry's maids were just waiting to despatch her quickly after her
mistress' She didn’t care tuppence about her Princess’s death- On the
day she was taken to St Denis, Mouchy visited one of her good friends
and ate, drank and made merry'. Tlut is die greatest ingratitude. Mmc
de Berry did mote Cor her than she deserved. My son was vo offended
that lie banished her from Parts.

My Barling dunks his portrait will have arrived by now. It is well
done, by the same man who painted my portrait, M Rtgaud. He paints
well but lie speaks very badly, became he stammers so dreadfully that
it takes a quartcr-of-an-hemr before a word comes out. He should
a] ways communicate by singing, for when lie sings he doesn’t stutter.

St Cloud 24 August 1 719 Dearest Lune, l went to Paris yesterday, and
thought I had come to die fires of hell. I have never known such heat
in all my bom days, the very air you breathed was fiery. If it continues,
man and beast will die ofheac. Oxen on their way to Parts from the
country drop dead because dierc is no water in the villages they' pass
through.

Anyone who lus only one son and loves him is tom with anxiety,
especially in this country, where there ate so many fiendish people and
so few good ones. But what I say to my son, and what I whistle into
the wind, is all one — lie never follows my advice. Hb damned godless
flatterers swarm round and change lus mind. They' arc a bad lot, and
profess not to believe in God or his word, they ate debauched, blas-
pheming Fellows. Under die pretext that if he doesn’t relax after his
arduous work be won’t be able to endure it, they make him lead an
insane life. In France everything that is not eating, drinking and
whoring is considered tedious. 1

St Cloud 37 August 1719 Everywhere you go you hear people com-
plaining about two dungs: the heat and die damnable bedbugs, which
plague me all night long. The Princess of Wales say's in her letter

* TheRegent’s ‘routs’ used to gather «ch evening for -what contemporary gossip
described as orgies. No servants were admitted tc> die feast, and a set of stiver cooling
utensils WM sud to haw been employed by the Regent in person.

2 i 4 Letters Jrotit Lis elotte

that ail London is suffering, too, and the Queen of Sicily "writes that
her bed was overrun.

Mme de Berry inherited her late husband’s entire appanage, and tins,
together with a pension of 660,000 francs a year, now reverts to die
King. My son, as her heir, has been left with all her debts. Over and
above her people’s wages, which she hadn’t paid for three or four years,
my son has to pay out another 400,000 francs which is owing. It’s sheer
robbery. Her servants seem to be completely reconciled to losing her.

You aren’t the only one, dear Luise, to make mistakes in French:
Frenchwomen themselves spell dreadfully. I think I know more French
orthography than German by now. Our dear Princess of Wales spells
very badly too, but then, she taught herself to write, so it’s no wonder.

The Spaniards are altogether unlucky this year, and Alberoni will
have to consider making peace after all. 1 Also, my son has had the good
fortune to find an Englishman called M Law. The French, however,
true to their habit of altering all names, call him Las. He is very clever
in financial affairs, and my son has great hopes of paying off all the
King’s debts before the end of this year. It was no mean sum, because
itamoutitcd to two hundred thousand millions. I tell my son that he and
his M Law have found the philosopher’s stone. Half the King’s debts
are paid already, so if Alberoni doesn’t make peace the young King will
have money enough for making war.

Joint Law, a Scot, had founded Iris Paris hanking house in 1716 and the
compagtiie A’ Occident, better known as the Mississippi Company, shortly
afterwards. Through Orleans’ support his banknotes, tied to Mississippi
stock, had become legal tender, and his bank in the Rue Quincampoix
the ban^ne royalc.

Law’s financial manoeuvres were creating a boom, Mississippi shares
were soaring and all France was in a fever of speculation.

St Cloud 3 September 1 yip Last Friday my son came to me and made
me rich. He said that he thoughtmy income was too small, and increased
it by 150,000 francs. As I have, thank God, no debts, it comes very
a propos to put me & Yaise , as they say here, for die time that I have left.

The Mouchy must have been the most unworthy favourite that ever
was, the way she used to deceive and rob her princess. She was of low
birth, too; her maternal grandfather used to be Monsieur’s barber. The
mother was not much use either, for after she was widowed she kept

1 France bad been at war with Spain since January.

Letter » from Liselattc 2.15

liatue for a warned man As they say, and taken all togctliec, that's aU
rotten eggs and rancid butter (

What was strange was that this Mouchy robbed her own amant,
die Comte de Riom Mine de Berry had given him a fortune m jewels
and ready money He put it all in a box and left the box at bleu don,
and now his beloved Mouchy lias taken, it away With her I think that's
amusing One could Say, as our late father did m a similar case, *Aceordez-
icus canailles *

St Cloud 17 September 1719 We arrived at Chelles at half-past nine
My grandson, the Due de Chartres w as there before us My son arrived
a quartcr-of-an-liour later, and after another <j ua r ter-o f-m-ho ur
Mile de Valois appeared Mme la Duchcssc d* Orleans had arranged
to have hecsclCblcd on purpose, so that she wouldn’t have to attend.
She and the Abbess art. not die best of friends r And even if they had
been friends, the mother’s natural idleness would have prevented her
from coming — it would have meant getting up too early in Order to
drive down to Chelles A little after ten we went into the church The
Abbess’s pnc-Dicu was of violet-coloured velvet, embroidered all
over with golden Jlctus de Us The Kmg s musicians were in die tribune,
they sang a motet The Cardinal de Noatllcs* said Mast The altar at
Chelles is beautiful, all black and wlute marble, aud there are four great
pillars which support white marble statues of former abbesses One of
die nus so like our Abbess that it might lias ebcen modelled after her, but
it was made a long tune ago and she’s only twenty -one

After dieTc Deum we went back to the convent I ate with my son
and ray grandson the Due de Chartres Half-an-hour later our Abbess
went to cat m her hall, with her sister Mile de Valois and twelve
abbesses, at a table with forty converts It was a pretty sight, the black
nuns surrounduig die colourful tables, which iny son's people had
arranged so that they looked very magnificent and attractive.

St Cloud 1 October 1719 It happened very a propos that my son in-
creased my pension because I was very ill-provided foe after Monsieur's
death 1 1 wasn't my son’s fault but die old D mb’s, who intrigued a gainst
me and got my son’s people to make these arrangements, pretending
it was the King’s express wish There wasn’t a word of truth m this,
and die proof was that, when the King came to realize that I couldn’t

’The Regent s daughter Louis- Adelaide, htlle de Chartres now Socut J33dMe,
had fceoi appealed Abbess of Chelles on. September! 4 th.

1 Arrhhuhop of ram.

.ii Utbs'from'Liseld'tte

21 <5

manage, he at once increased my pension b y .46, 0.00 £ran cs. Tlia tmade
the old whore almost burst with fury. But sometliiug .tliat.iriacle 'ihe';
laugh at the time was that the Due and Duchesse du Maine- asked my
steward how ; I could manage, with, so little^, to live according to' my-’
station and yet stay out of deht v Lagardc— diat was my.pid' stw&rd’s -
name — said, ‘It is because Madame is not extravagant, .and- avoids
foolish expense/ That settled that fine pair. All their enormous' debts';
came from their nocturnal fetes at Sceaux, which used to last welLinto
the following day, with fireworks, plays, masques aiid new little dperas; .,
wc used to call them the nuits blanches. If my sou hadn’t lost his daughter, ’
and if the King hadn’t inherited vast sums from her I- shouldn’t' liafye
accepted tins increased pension, because I should iiot likeit to be said;,
that my son was feathering his family’s nest at the King’s expense. '

Caeoiike op Wales • VV

St Cloud 8 October 1719 It is quite untrue that our Queen -ever’ gave;
birth to a blackamoor. Monsieur, who was present at the birth,- said,-
the little princess was ugly, but not black. Nevertheless, it is impossible
to get the idea out of people’s heads that the child is still alive. But.it is :
quite certain that the ugly child died, for the whole Court sawit die.

Luisb

St Cloud 26 October 1719 Good M Law was quite ill a few days ago,
he was worried and persecuted so much. He is not given a minute’s
peace day or night, and that made him ill. No, I don’t think any nition
in the world is more grasping than the French. They drive one mad and ■
absolutely, furious with their begging. Ever)'- tiling they write and say.,
makes me s.o extremely impatient that I charge about like a wild boar;
No one cotild be. cleverer than M. Law. But L wouldn’t diaiige places'
with lnm for all the world: he is being tormented like a soul ill hell. :

. 'Xisclotte was shocked — and amused— at the behaviour of French society-'-
in its [quest for riches, and tlie.spfcctaclc oFavaricious duchesses kissing/,
../.'Law* s hands. She darkly wondered what other parts of his anatomy were; -tv
. v ! 'kissed hy pcrsoiii ; of less. exalted raiik; Princesses raised -shahi fire. alarms
' m'Kis ..courtyard, . to beg for shares when he, came . rushing fioiri his
l v-‘; ''house/. A dowager Mrs Alalaprop implored .him ta d ^v6.a6i-une co>iccpj >...-
>; .-/lOKy - 'Mid; though he knew very well that die meant me xof icesshu, lie ' , -i.

. ''.replied with a straight face that he would willingly do so; and only feared ! • .. :
• k.riihehad left it aiitde' late’..--- v . •' ' .v’.-U’vt; 4 ',.. \

v Ladies ..at .the . Opera;, were surprised to, fmd'.themsdves eatedhext - ' :

Letters from Lisefotti

*17

to their own confer, splendid!) bedecked with diamonds Coachmen
were employing coichmcn of their own, and M Chirac, the royal
physician frightened a patient almost to death by murmuring, while <
feelrng her pulse, 'It’s falling it’s falling * He hid some difficulty m per-
suidmg the invalid thither pulse was good and strong, and that it was lus 1
Mississippi stock which had temporarily dropped
lasclotte was soon to complain that the w as getting is sick of tales of
millions us though she fud eaten them, s a ihe put it, 'by the spoonful .

Hut m the meantime she entertained! ler relations \\ ith further anecdotes.

St ClottJ jj N ovember tyip A lady whom M Law didn’t wish to see
thought up an astonishing way to speak to him — she ordered her
coachman to turn her carnage over m front of M Law’s doot, calling
out, ‘Cocher, verses dene/’ At first he refused, but then he obeyed his
mistress’s command and overturned the coach in front of M Law’s from
door, so that he couldn’t go m or out. He rushed up to her in a fright,
dunking she might have broken her neck or her legs, but as he ap-
proached die lady told him she had done it on purpose to talk to him
All this, perhaps, was not so bad but what six other ladies of quality
did, out of pure self-interest, was beyond insolence They waylaid M
Law in h» own courtyard and surrounded lum. They wouldn't let him
go, until at list he said, 'Mes<hmcs,jc four item We mi He pardons, mats si
t oas ne me Jaisscz pas oiler tl /out qite je ah'c, car fat une nietsstti de
pbser (pi'd ni’est i mpotstble de taw davantege* Tlie ladies replied, *H(
iie«, Monsieur, pisscz, pounu (pit vous no is (coutiez ' He did, and they
stajed there Isn’t it horrible* He almost died oflaughing

St Chud 26 November ijip However did the wild pigs get fat tins
year? We've Iiad no acorns at all The Dots de Boulogne is full of oak
trees, and I had a good look a t a lot of the trees, but l did n‘ t find a single
acorn I made our Grand Duchess cat a Martmmas-goose, filled with
chestnuts and large nmmi, but in fact this u not what I relish most
My son sent me 400 shares for ray household Hut although that
nukes ^ million tn all, they only stretched to those who arc an qtiartier
and ordinaire All the others, including many who arenot in my service
at all, have asked for some, which made me very impatient,

Cauoune op Wales

Pans 5 Deeatiler 1719 l hear that the bridegroom, has fallen in love
with MUe de Valois, that is, with her portrait I find her beautiful
rather than attractive She has beautiful eyes, skin and colouring Her

Letters from Liselotte

si 8

mouth is not bad, her teeth are healthy and white but not very even,
one upper tooth looks ugly when she laughs, and her hawk’s beak of a
nose spoils everything, to my taste. She is very tall, not badly made, her
body is a little too short and thick, her head is sunk between her
shoulders and she has very long legs. One can see why she never wanted
to learn dancing — she walks like a woman of eighty and shows maitvaise
grace in all she does. She has black eyes and hair. Thus the bride, and if
only she were as good inside as she is on the outside, she might be
passable enough.

Liselotte’s granddaughter. Mile de Valois, still in love with the Due de
Richelieu, had reluctantly obeyed her father and become engaged to the
Due de Modine. In return her father had released Richelieu from the
Bastille.

Paris 12 December 1719 M Law isn’t the only 011c who is buying fine
jewels and estates. M le Due is growing as rich as Croesus, and so is
everyone else who owns shares.

Paris 15 December 1719 As a rule the King didn’t want anyone except
the royal family at his table. There were so many princesses du sang
that far too big a table would have been needed. When wc were all
together the table was quite full. The King sat by himself at a long
table. In the centre, to his right, sat M le Dauphin and M le Due de
Bourgogne. Below, on the left, were the Dauphine and the Due dc
Berry. At one retour were Monsieur and I, at the other my son and his
wife. The other places were only for the gentilhommes servants, who
served the King and us. When they wait on the King they don’t stand
behind the chair, but in front of liim on the other side of die table.
They wait on us too. When the princesses du sang or odier ladies ate
with die King, diey were not served by gentilhommes servants but by
officers of the King’s household, who used to wait from behind die
chairs like pages. Pages used to wait at the royal table only on journeys,
and never on die royal family.

Heiui von Harling

Paris 21 December 1 739 I had only been here a week when I had to
pay heavily for having come. I suddenly had such a dreadful cough that
I couldn’t leave my room for sixteen days, and four times they thought
X was done for.

JLtl'crs from Lhclottc 219

^ 1 hope that spring v .21 be pleasanter I couldn't have staged in St
Cloud, as for one dung it v\ ould have looked so strange for me not to
return to Paris when all die v. odd comes into town from die country ,
for another, people would have thought that my son and E had quar-
relled, ami for a third I had to be present at -die nupuals of my grand-
daughter, Mile de Valois

1 can say nothing about M Law’s batik — 1 don't understand anything
about tt. It is all Greek to me The late King's debts ate supposed to
be paid off, but I can't say liow or when

Paris 14 January 1720 So little has M Law’s credit fallen diat he t as
made C otttriicHT Gfntral tfes Finances three days ago Perhaps the
gossips who spread rumours that his bank has closed arc hoping for
just this as it a supposed to came great jealousy

The talk of my son’s injustice to the Duchessc du Maine will soon
stop, because he tead out tn Council her letter and confession He is too
good, rather than the contrary because he forgave her every dung
although she meant to deprive lum. of the Regency and bring the Kiug
of Spain otcr m his stead It can certainly be said that my son is not a
revengeful man because if he had wanted to revenge himself lie had
ample opportunity

Pans 2 S January 1720 The Paris air is worse than ever, and when you
don’t see the dead being earned tlirotigh the streets you meet the
Holy Sacraments being earned to the sick What is more they are all
infectious diseases — measles, smallpox and purple fever

Five or six young gentlemen who were to have danced in the King’s
ballet with Hu Majesty arc ill, and I’m worried about the young King
because he mixed with all these children The bailer, said to be very
pretty, is to be performed next week,

Luisa

Paris 28 January i?20 Since t am so often ill, M Teray is purging me
with die green juice of watercress, sorrel and t!nccr£e (I have forgotten
’i what that um German — Wegertch, if I'm not mis taken I’ll just look it up
in the German Baton 1 cum Ah, here we arc It is ILVtpi art, l Vegu-etsi
tVeghng, Soiinemi’tnil Soimemiftrbei, Sonnatt-raui, Swtnenbrand) There
are enough names for you, so take your choice, but it makes a green
dnnk, which has to be taken lukewarm, incredibly bitter and revolting
This year we have enough ice to fill all the ice-pits and ice-houses I
often take iced drinks and they do me no harm but I don’t take them, as

220

Letters from Liselotte

cold as others do. I think the weather here must be bad for strokes,
because every day you hear of them. The Princess says it’s the same in
England. Many blame coffee, others tobacco, because before these were
d la mode you didn’t hear so much about strokes as you do now.

Albcroni goes no further than Genoa, where all that bad lot is
assembling. 1 The Princesse des Ursins is there too. It is a pity Mme du
Maine can’t join them as well. I think I told you that Alberoni wrote to
my son to beg his pardon and offering to betray Spain. Isn’t he a fine
fellow? He also declares that the libels against my son that were pub-
lished in his name had. all originated in Paris.

At die moment there are so many coaches and such crowds in Paris
that when I came back from a visit to Mme la Princesse and Mme la
Duckesse it took me three-quarters of an hour to get from the Pont
Neuf to die Palats-Royal because of the traffic !

Paris 4 February 1720 It is true that Paris and Heidelberg are under the
same sign, and in the same constellation too: Virgo. But my son’s
former doctoi, who was a German, a learned man called Hombcrg,
may have discovered what makes these places so different. He said that
one day, while he was out for a walk, and was wondering why the air
of Heidelberg was so pure and the Paris air so foul, he came to a place
where a paving stone was being taken up. Underneath he saw some
pitch-black soil, more than a foot deep. He put some of it in a piece of
paper, carried it home and analysed it. He discovered that it consisted
of nitre and saltpeter, and deduced that this acridity, drawn up by the
force of the sun, accounted for the bad, acrid air. This nitre comes
from the many thousands of people who piss in the street. I found
M Homberg’s reasoning very enlightening.

Paris 11 February 1 720 I shan’t write this afternoon, because the entire
wedding-assembly is to take place in my bouse, as I am the bride s
grandmother and the first lady at Court. Afterwards I shall take my
children and grandchildren to the King in the Tuileries, where the
reading and signing of the marriage contract will take place. Then,
there will be the betrothal, which is certain to be conducted by Cardinal
dc Rohan, and tomorrow the nuptial mass in the King’s chapel.

Paris is no longer quite so full; the high cost of living has driven many
people away. Today all dealings in gold and silver have been forbidden.

1 Alberoai had been exiled from Spain in December, and peace negotiations
between Spain and the Quadruple Alliance began. The war, effectively over by
the summer of 1719, ended on 17 February 1720.

Ultm from TJsektte > 1 331

‘ Lou»<fOr and thalers arc no longer legal tcndcr,-only banknotes and
twenty sous pieces. I won't allow anyone to talk to me about millions
and shares and premiums and subscriptions 1 don't understand it. and it
bores me too much. Of all the people I know in France, only my son
iland Mme CMtcau tl uers arc absolutely disinterested. Everyone else,
1 with not a single exception, b quite ridiculously full of self-interest,
especially tli e princes and princesses of the blood . They got into 4 fight
with the clerks at die batik, and did all sorts of other scandalous things.
' Money rules the world, it u true, but t can't think of another place on
, earth where it rules people more than it does here.

Mllcdc Valois was married by proxy to the Duke of Modena. After the
wedding ceremony she entered the coach which was supposed to be
liking her to Modena, but in fact travelled no further than the Palais-
Royah She made every possible attempt to delay her departure, and
even wait so far as to visit her sister in Chellcs when that establishment
was in quarantine for the measles. She duly caught the disease, and W15
unfit to travel for some weeks

Hsrr von Harung

Paris to March 1 720 The Prweesse de Modenc departs tomorrow. If
dm creature is ever happy it will be an agreeable surprise to me,
because I am certain of die contrary. She his a strange madcap mind,
which will cost her dear, because it won’t do anywhere, especially in
Italy.

Paris 31 March 1720 I thuik the devil must have been set loose thb
year, with all tliis murdering Not a night passes without people being
found murdered for their billets des banques. People of high quality are
dabbling in this ugly and dreadful trade, amongst others dm young,
good-looking Comte dc Hoomc of Flanders, The Comte was only
twenty-three, M de Monagne, my chevalier d’hentteur, who had pre-
jeaird Jawo me about three creeks jgc. efcrd ao far bed test Metoday,
and on Tuesday the Comte died on the wheel. It makes one sad. All
France begged for mercy for the Comte, but my son said that for such
an abominable deed an example had to be made, which duly happened,
to the great satisfaction of the pcuple, who cried 'Notre R£go\t e$t juste!'
Yesterday they found four newly killed bodies in a well in the me
Quuieampoix, and a week, ago two fellows were burned whose curses
were so frightful and blasphemous that the registrar was sick.

222 -

Letters fromLischttc •

' Now that .paper had taken the place-, of gold, bank messengers carried''::" ’
much larger sums than before. The. Comte de Hoortie, brokeri .on^the:' J -'-
. wheel after he had ’thoroughly repented, so .that he .ma.de a,; gtidd;' K':.
beautiful and pious ‘end’, had ambushed a cammis in art a tternpt:to re-.' ,
coup the fortune that he had.lost gambling. He was condemned to. death,.
by special parliamentary decree. Lisclotte's 'all France’ who came to , ,
plead refers to the Comte’s princely relations — he was connected with/, i;
almost every noble family of Flanders, France and Lorraiiic. They carhc- v'.
to Paris to plead, not for his life, but for a more aristocratic form. of .:
execution. The Regent refused their petition, declaring that die shame ’
lay in the crime, not in the form of punishment. \ • ri.

I/tnrsB ’ •!,

Paris 31 March 1720 Every day there are new stories, about, the
banknotes. It annoys me very much not to see gold any more; for
forty-eight years I’ve carried gold in my pocket, and now there .'arc
only silver pieces. They arc worth thirty sol now, but each month their,
value becomes less. It is certain that M Law is heartily loathed. My son
told me sometliing today in the carriage that moved me to tears. He
said, ‘The people say sometliing which has touched my heart.’. I said
what, and he replied that when Comte Hoornc was executed theysaid,..
‘If anyone injures our Regent personally, he pardons everything arid
punishes no one, but if anyone injures one of us he takes it seriously and .
ensures that justice is done, as can be seen in the case of Comte Hoornc.’

. M- Law’s good intentions arc shown by the fact that he has bought
estates and put all his money into this country, so he must intend to.
; stay here.

• Paris}'? April 1720 My son comes first with me, I am not.one of those
hibdiets who love their grandchildren more than their own. children. I
love' my ..two .children best. My 'son is the best man in the' world. :
Mmcdn Maine visited him yesterday, and he received herso poiitelyand
-•ivcll. .-Yesterday Mme la.Princesse asked me to receive the jDuchesse dri '
- Mamci too. I . replied that .since -my' son, whom she had so grossly
.'irisultccf had seed and forgiven her, I should have to agree to see her as ;
•wclf.so I ;ima:gmc she’ll come stalking along one of these days. I can t
idcclme, but "Cod knows, it. won’t be a pleasant- visit. . ,

■fu/.id^yc.ncycir been, able -to endure^ hot rooms. When my aparrinents ,
iiz 'ideidelbefg.: becanid. oyetiieated I couldn’t stand it, and opened all
; .me 'wmd.d'ws.vHef e there is. rio sucli danger, but our -cdiap 4 'is;an,.oyeri.; ;
‘‘^d'inKerit-ithis' ' fi? 6 ’m\quf 'father’ the -Elector, not being. able” to bear,.

221

_ letters ft om Llsrfctfe
'* lir-it. In my thy they Used to burn more turf than -wood in die firc-i
' ' p faces in Heiddbeig . I don t know if that is still the ease — do tdl me/

fair 3 1 April 1720 Impossible for the clergy" to govern me Jl think too
little of them- The Elector used to say, ‘Tilings vail go 511 with the
l Y) - ct j c l unci we liave got rid of tliree kinds of charlatans — clergymen,
dorion and lawyers.’

’ Sf cW 21 April i?20 Since our Queen used to drive out with eight
hones, f have never had fewer, /e was the hte Due Ac 2 a he uittadc who
started it. It is necessity* here, because our carnages arc very heavy ; it is
not a question of tank, for anyone who wishes to can. drive with eight.
A% l say. I must have had eight horses in front of my coach for forty
jears now, but for the talhhe I usually have only stx. It amused me,
dear fitite, that you thoughtl drove out with eight because 1 was die first
lady. I’m not as proud as all that, hut I look to my dignity as is proper.

Herb von Hauling

$t Chil j May 1 72c There is a little less murdering in "Pam now,
but there are fights instead. A few days ago eight people were left
for dead. And die perpetual gambling, which leads to the keeping of
bid company, seduces most of die young people of quality. The third
thing that rums them is that they pndc themselves on ! laving no
religion and being independent of the world They abandon, the Lord
and die Lord abandons them, so it’s not surprising that they fall into
every sinful vice. They would do well to say every day the little prayer
that Frau von 1 lading made me say : Lord, do not forsake me, and I
will not forsake you.

OufPrinctsscdc Mocltnc will liave a sad day soon when she arrives
in Genoa, where she will leave die french ladies and the royal house
and be handed over to die Italians God be with her-, she will need His
hc/p. Few women in France are brought up to look to the things chat
imttcf, and not to get attached to trivialities; they are taught to judge
whether a coiffure is becoming rather than what virtues arc suitable to
make a princess respected by the world.

St Ckiid 1 6 May 1 720 The good news of the reconciliation between the
riRccand Princess of Wales and the King of England delighted me to
ttQ ^ 1 m y heart. 1 No doubt there is rejoicing m Hanover too,
Isend my compliments on dm occasion to Prince Frederick.

* This Jutl uVck phee m ApnL

224

Lieiters-from Iliselotte

CAioirSB-or 'Wales •, • ••• - ' •"••‘r - H ’■>?

5 / Clouds i May 1.720 , My son Has had to remove Law, Who med.td ibe:. V.
idolized hy die people, from office; He needs protection^ his lifeisriotv
safe, and it is frightful to see how afraid theman is'. ^-V yY,; >V; s

HBRIl.'VON .HA-JttING . • • • ••• . 7 ,\': ; ; V 7:7.'.

St Cloud 9 .June 1720 Yesterday the premier president .and die three ;
highest presidents of the par.lement came to my sou to hold council
with, him and the Chancellor about all the affairs of the bank and-thc '
mint, but what cthey decided I won’t write, as I have neither . sen'se nor
memory enough to explain- it well. It will soon be made .public.

I am beginning my walks again. Yesterday I walked in an avenue at
Madrid with Mile dc Chausscraye and didn’t get too tired.. Her Hotise,

' a gift from the late King, is small and neat. There is a little wood with
several avenues, a little parterre, a large kitchen-garden. . She keeps bees,,
doves and beautiful cows, so there is much to amuse me, because I love
all animals, and everything that is rural pleases me more dian the finest
palaces or anything to be found in cities, except when Baron 1 acts in - a -
play, .which is what I like best in Paris. He. played Le Misanthrope last ■
Wednesday; there can be no better acting in die world, and he had.a
■ tfi umph. ,My weakness and tiredness have made me less bad-temp'ered
diah this muddle about the banknotes. To-my min'd it is better to be a.
•Trencli peasant than; a French regent — at least one is sure of one’s life ;
and has fewer enemies; • ' • '< ' * • • ■

. : At the end ofMayXaw'had issued an edict that. all notes were' to be halved . , ;
■r - '.'in value, iihd coiild only be encashed in monddy instalments. The imp yY.

-"tntrdiarc.fusK bn the hank caused much damage to life and Umb and did 7
";-’'Vii'dthihg-to' stabilize the economy. The edict was ; withdrawn spoil after- .
V'^warifs, but die Mississippi bubble had burst, and crowds bf hungry
• Y people beleaguered' the;' bank' in the rue Qiiineuhpqix, • .trying to caffi

YYdmbnbtcXy >•' . •• 'Y'V • ‘ YY’.

'Caroline -op.- Waxes \>-£*

> $tiC(oiid. 21J1 mt'i '72.0 Yin France wc no. longer have tyb.peimy.pieces
]~_io-.rtib ^together; but; we .have; (by your leave, ; ?nd.; -m ;good. ,Palatmp.
■language): p^gcr.aisc-wipcrs -in plenty . 3 , ■ ■ Y :.v.V.~.p

I Tiic 'niose ixl ebrated artor ;t>f jiis dayi Xisriotte much; admircd;-hirn.ToJV ' .
^declaiming, posturing or grimacing’. : . : 'S'. •-

-nselotte pirtlciiiairly specifies. paper, as she' had been astonished ?“*,;•

ti>Vpraiice,'iliat cloth; not paper, was used at .Court,..- •. • ;; ■ ' v V

Letter i from Laehtte

£25

Heeh vqh Hasiinc

S< Cloud q July if 20 I find as much disemoit as I can m innocent
smiiscmcnu, do not meddle m anything, and wish only to have peace
and quiet for the rest of my life I went to Pans jesterda} , to eat with
my grandchildren. Afterv. arils I recessed a great many visitors and then
I went to the theatre, where Baron and the Desmans were acting The
Dcsmares has a daughter by my son He has not legitimized her but he
u very fond of her He married her off to a man of quality the Marquis
dc Sfgur, who used to he a page to die late King When this lady is in
our box the Dcsmarcs can’t stop gazing at her, and one often secs tears
of emotion m her eyes Baron is just *ix months older than I am, he will
be sixty-nine ui November, but he seems much younger on the stage
Of the billets <?e bonque l will say nothing , they arc my aversion My
son leads a dreadful life and is, like Moses, a tortured soul

Luise

St Cloud n July 1 730 It is a rare thing for me to see much of my son
but 1 did see him for a moment last Sunday evening and Monday
mom mg I never talk about affairs of state, nor dot ever advise lum.
It w ould be difficult to gn c good advice on matters which one does not
understand But, so far as I can gather from rumours, things are going
very badly indeed I w ;sh Law to die devil, with his art and his Systinte

St Cloud lSJuty 1720 l went to the Carmelites as usual and found
Mme dc Lude there Wc were having a peaceful time together, when
Mme dc Chitcauduers came in and said ‘Madame, - } ou must heat what
is going on The court} ard of the Pahis-Royal is full of people, they
ha\c brought with them die bodies of people crushed to death at the
bank Law has been forced to hide m die Palais-Royal, and lus carriage
has been smashed mto a thousand pieces They forced his doors at six
o’clock this morning * You may imagine how I £cl t, but I couldn’t show
my emotion, because m such cases one must not appear frightened I
went on to the King as usual, but had to make a great effort to control
m> self" There was such a crowrf in the rue St ffonortf that we couhfn t
move for half-an-hour I heard the people grumble, but only about
Law 1 didn’t hear a word against my son

Caroline or Wales

St Cloud 6 August ij2o The King didn’t like city -fife. He was con-
vinced that the townspeople of Pans fud no love for him and that His
Majesty was not safe there And the Maintenon could keep a better

22 6 letters from Liselotte

hold on him at Versailles. She herself was certainly in Paris, where
she was dreadfully disliked. Whenever she went there die people
called out direats after her. In the end she didn’t dare drive about in her
own coach.

Luise

St Clouil 8 August 1 720 Crossing the sea is a beastly tiling, when you
consider that you might land in India as easily as in England. Monsieur
used to make us laugh with his talc of how once when he was in
Dunkirk, on a very fine day, he felt like a little expedition on the sea. In
die boat he sat next to die pilot, who seemed so sad that Monsieur
asked liim what was wrong. ‘Sad memories,’ die pilot replied. *It
is just a year to die day, in lovely weather like this, diat I took my wife
and children out for a turn on the water, and a storm blew up and
carried us straight to India. My wife and cliildren died there/ Monsieur,
upon hearing this, said, ‘ Ramaicz-moi an plus vite a bord!'

St Cloud 10 August 1720 It’s true, Luise, it’s true. I’m fairly popular,
but I don’t know why, for I do the people neither good nor harm.
You can never rely on the love of people, though — they’re too fickle,
I must confess I never liked M Law’s system, and always wished diat
my son hadn’t adopted it. I never understood anydiing about it. I was
shocked when gold was done away widi. It seemed like fraud to me,
if I am to he truthful.

St Cloud 1 8 August 1720 I have never in my life seen an Englishman
or a Scot appear so foolish and terrified as M Law does now. Wealth
breeds fear, and no one likes to abandon his belongings, but I believe
diere must be times when he wishes himself in Louisiana or Mississippi.
I diank you for your good wishes for my son. Even in the King’s time
he had many enemies; all diose who sided widi the King of Spain and
wanted to bring him here are his arch-enemies, and diat includes all
the Maintenon’s creatures at die old Court. Therefore Law doesn’t add
to my son’s enemies at Court, but he certainly does in die pcirlentent 1
and among die people.

Not only did I once see the set of draughts belonging to Charles V,
but I also saw his crystal chessmen. They were very beautiful. He must
have played all sorts of games. All these things come from Spain.

* The pariement had heen exiled to Pontoise, because its members refused to pass
'certain measures designed to restore the credit of die Mississippi company. It returned
to Pans only after Law had left Prance. '

Letters from Liselotte

227

Herr von Hasunc v

St ChttJ 32 September 1720 I went to Paris to a party 5 esterday, which
has become an annual event for me. at die Duchesne dc Lucie’s, vs ho
used to be the dame d'honticut of Mme la Dauphitte {the last one) and is
my good fnend She gave us a magnificent feast four hot courses and
a dish of fruit and confitures, but as I eat no confitures so far as I w as con-
cerned it was a /east for the cy es only Afterwehad placed Hoca fora
few hours I v.cnt to the King, and then to the Palais-Ro\al. and after
I had seen ra> sou and his wife I went to the j»!av w idi my four grand-
chddren

Albcroni has stolen 198 bottles of fin de champagne from the King of
Spam. They were salt for his Majesty but he only gave him two, as
well as a piece of cheese, sold all the rest and pocketed the money
According to his accounts the war cost 28 millions but when the)
checked the figures the v found that the war 1 mi cost only one, and he lead
put 27 mil lions into his own pocket For that alone he deserves the gallows

Luisn

St Cloud 14 September 1720 It is incredible how prices have risen ,
What used to cost thirty francs costs a hundred now I ask nothing of
the King nor of my son. and less still of M Law, but I like to be paid
regularly so that my servants don’t suffer Up till now, thank God, I
have net er owed any one anything, neither the tradespeople nor any-
one else, and I should be vcr\ sorry to find myself in debt M Law’s little
daughter cannot fad to marry well He is going to give her three
millions apart from the trousseau, and if a duke or prince were to press
him I think he’d let another little million fly

Here von Hauling

St Cloud 22 September 1720 I cjuite agree, the fiei/e tankage is much
more expressive tiian the French we speak now They tried to put Don
Qsnxote into modem French, but it wasn’t a success
The gazettes and newspapers ate full of lies Anyone who wants to
injure someone else writes on a scrap of paper what he would like to
have published, wraps it round a dialer and addresses it au gasetier
d’Hallaiide, and it is certain that the contents will appear in die Dutch
papers Although 1 have never gone in for this practice, 1 ve often seen
other people do it

Caroline op Wales

St Cloud 3$ October 1720 Monsieur once made me laugh so much He
always brought a much be- medalled rosary to bed with him, and before

'32*8

Letters from Liseldtte :

he 'went to sleep -he told his- beads. When that was oy-er' I-heaM a^griat.^'^ '";
rattling of medals, as though h'e was.moying them abduh under
blanket. X said, .fJDiett-rite le. pardonne, maisjc soupgoiine que-vousjaites^
promcner vos reliqucs et.im'ages de.la Vicrge dans uti pays quilui estuicOnntifi v:--
.Monsieur answered,’- ‘Taisez-wous, dormez, vous-ne saves que voits:ditcs. 3 k-
I got up quietly, put the nighdight so diat it shone intci the. bed; toph ’ -^'
hold of Monsieur’s arm, laughed and said, 'Pour le coup, pons tie sauriez;-
plus -me. tiier' He laughed as well. ‘Vous qui avez iti , Hugnenotte,. vous-)f‘
ne saviez .pas le- pottvoir dcs reliques et dcs images dc la Salute Vierge 3 he .
said. ‘Elies guarantissent de tout vial les parties qu'on enfrotte. 3 I replied,

‘Je vous demande pardon, Monsieur, mat's vous tie me persuadez point due' 'f
e'est honorer la Vicrge que de promener son image stir les parties destinies d
oler la virgin iti.’ Monsieur had to laugh, and said, ‘Je veins prie, uc\le :
dites d personae

Herr von Hakiing

Sf Cloud 31 October 1720 King Francois I walks in the galcrie d’Ulysse
at Fontainebleau in a green velvet dressing-gown, with his mistress ."
covered in diamonds. I often walked in this gallery at night, but die ■ •
good Francois I never did me the honour of showing himself to 1 me. ;

Perhaps he didn’t dunk my prayers powerful enough to help him out Of: ; :
purgatory, and he may not have been so very wrong. ■

The cursed plague won’t stop at Provence ; 1 the disease is spreading ;
furdicr and further afield, and I am afraid diat greed and avarice will-
.finally bring it right into Paris. Since everything is extremely expensive. . : ;
in Paris now, and cheap 'in Marseilles and Toulon,- there is., reason .to'!.;
fear that the tradespeople may import die plague into Paris, because' C%
coffee,- for example, costs five sols in Marseilles and sells at thirty JivreS \

•in Paris, aiid odier gbods in proportion. ? f-CJl

. ; '. i have been- told dia t ricvbr before' haye-so.many’ people in Paris' gone ,V\
mad 'and lost their reason as. they have, done -this- year. They, .speak- of/;.';
.'•nothing '.but :M.;iaW and the Mississippi, I11 England it’s no better: \.six
gcridemeii.rriiiried.by' tlie Soudisea, have drowned themselves. , f

Luise ‘ *• t ' ^ ‘

')Sf Child 'f-Noveinber-tyfo ffhepqnimddei divihehas 'qui^e'.-cii^ed-ine.? 'if
ii'lfete' d’Orlcaiasis cured too; but I was better a.^eek before she wa'SifShe'/ v
q s always- happy, tb.'liaye' aiPexcusfe 'for. idling -in'-bed. I -;dpnft ;tnink'. there

irj.'.^-Tii^.plagub had bi-bferri oatin" Marseilles -mJuBe,.iuid at the "time of this; letter {here';
hacUieenat least. yo.ood deadislnProvenCe. . . - . ■ . '}■■■■• v- ,•

Lisdottc’s knees -were troubling bee again. r ••

titters from Llseht re - i » Z2£

is 4i lazier creature in the world. She admits it herself, and laughs about
it. I don't often cat grapes, only some muscatels in the morning, because
they help me to "keep regular; in die afternoon, at table, l cat none, only
an apple which they call jj otttme de Cahntk here. Since Bsduracher is
not drunk until it is seven or eightycars old, 1 don't imagine I shall taste
‘milch of this year's vintage. God blows where I shall be in eightycars'
time, and for die joy l take in living now, dear Luke, it wouldn’t
' distress me to know that I shouldn't see them out.

' I hope to be able to send you something from die fair soon. Every-
thing is getting cheaper again, and we are beginning to see gold once
more, but it stands very high still — a louis d’Or is 54 francs But it will
fall month by month, and there is hope that m tunc everything will be
as it was. God grant it! Because I am as tired of die Mississippi bank
and shares as if I had eaten diem by die spoonful, and shall thank God
when I hear no more of them.

1 have already thankedyou for thcTsaraswellas forPnnee Eugene, 1 but
da so once more with pleasure. How Prince Eugene must have changed
10 have a long pointed nose now— he never had that in his youth

St Cloud 2 1 November 1720 Bid the grapes they sent you from, the
Palatinate come from Schruuhcim? They arc usually very good, and
f bke them, better than those from the other side. T don't dunk grapes
from Heidelberg can be bad for one. I still remember die enormous
amount of grapes I ate in the vineyards of Sclirusshctm: I was so full
that I could hardly walk, but it did me no lurm and made me cat my
dinner all the better.

Si Cloud 2 j November 1720 Today it snowed for the first tune dm
season, but the snow melted at once. It must be cold in Germany now,
and In the Palatinate. I have no desire, nowadays, to be back there: I
should be in tears day and night if I were I mustn’t remember the old
times too much, either, for it soon makes me pensive and sad. Everyone
I used to know in my youth is still quite clearly in my mind, I could
•pavstt. out entile Court of those days, youssg iwi old.

Caroline or Wales

St Cloud 2 6 November J 7 20 Afa tattle, our dear Electress, didn't visit the
Princess Royal,* but die Queen of Bohemia* did, and took rue with her.

* Tint is, for menials depicting these ttfw pcrsoswgta.

* Mary Stum, widow of William U of Orange.

a Elizabeth Stuart, v.jdow of die Wuj«t King, during die time Sophia and Utslorte
ed vmh her at The Hague,

23° i

taute said, to me, ‘T akc care, -Lisette, don’t get lost as you usually , do;' '
so that no one can -find you, -but' stay close to, : .tbe, Queen and don’t •
keep her waiting for you.’ Isaid, •Oh,7«i» taiUe, .yo'u’ll-s'ee. X’ll -be 'sd '
good.’ I had often playcdwith the son, 1 whom I found witlvliis inodicr,
only I didn’t know it was his mother, so after I had gazed at herjbr a>
long time I looked round>for someone to tell nie who' this woman W3s. -i
There was no one except die Prince bf .Orange, so I' went up to liini and ■
said, c Dites~moi,je Votisprie, qui.est cette famine qui a un sifitrieux hezf-He .
laughed and replied, * C'est la Princesse Royale , nta tube.’ I was so shocked
that. I was struck dumb, and to comfort me Mile Hyde 2 , took me and the :
Prince into the Princess’s bedchamber, where we played all sorts - of
games. I had asked to be called when the Queen was ready to leave;
we were just rolling about on a Turkish carpet when, the summons :
came. T jumped up and ran into the audicncc-chambcr, but die Queen
had already reached the anteroom. I quickly pulled the Princess Royal
back by her skirt, and, making her a pretty curtsey, walked in front
of her, following the Queen to the carriage. Everyone laughed, I
didn’t know why. When wc arrived home the Queen went to >«<?
taute, and sitdng on her bed, laughing so that she almost choked, said,
'Lisette a fait uti beau voyage', and told her what I had done. Our dear;
Elcctrcss laughed even harder than the Queen, called me, and said,.
‘Lisette, you have done well, you have revenged us on the proud
princess/ '

Luise . • ■ ■ .

! fSt Cloud 5 Deccniber 1720 ’■ The plague, which seemcd to have finished
. in 'Marseilles,' has started again, >w6rse than'ever. It, is supposed to he
frightful in.Poland, too, aud. has broken out in Silesia. I’m convinced;
that it will, soon spread all over Europe. But it doesn’t frighten ,nie’ as/
/whatever', Kappeiis to, me, it .will be .by ; God’s divine, providence: If f
/ 'Hie .of die plague .1 shan’t die’; bf any thing else. It wouldn - 1 surprise, me
/ifithey got .the plague in Saxony, because/tbe '.King .of Poland and.ihis .
/people are bound to carry jtfroiivPoland. '■/: /

■;:Ptin&jp-'P.e&mbfr *720 - John -Law. has' gone, to ; .one of.dte'estates'.'that-.
/ he;bought/.six nnles' from herfe. Pie is supposed fo make up his accounts.
•/thefe;:^c iiear :diat -ii/is .uphill ^.w6fk;'j’rn -sure;Jie ? 31 bbltdn' die 'ena,'

yy/i William of. Orange.- • -. ■ vc.'y.-- • /=•. r -‘r-'-ifv.r.-j ■ v----,.

lady- in Wairnig.to-'me'Prmccss of Orange beforejierniairiiagyin/
."James Stuart (iatcrjam.es II). - ! .-:w

Letters from Liselotie

with die help of M 1c Due, who, incognito lias already visited lura
twice 4

l\c never been able to lean* how to cut quills, which I much regret
became only one of my people can cut than to my taste Luckily he
is muck younger than I am so l hope to keep him until d e end. He
used to be my t alet J-' chambre, but then he bought the appointment of

the portc-mantea i
Caro li n c OP WaIes

Paris 27 December 172.0 When he took his leavejohn Law said to my
son, ‘Mon seigneur, l have made great mistakes I have made them,
because I am human, but y ou will find ncidner malice nor treachery in
my conduct * His wile doesn’t want to leave Pans unul all his debts ate
paid.

Luisb

Pans ig April t?2l It is 111 the Pope’s interest to maintain the Con-
stitution, so it is hard to bchtrse drat the quarrelling will not begin
again

l speak of the Pope in French Catholic and not German-Catholic
terms He is not considered infallible in Trance, die entire Sotbonnc
has declared against it When the Pope isn't reasonable he ir not obey ed
M France, and people arc lice to talk about it as they please We have
no inquisition in France To refer to hi in as ‘Hot) Father’ is only a
manner of speaking and means no more than simply to call lum ’the
Pope' No one dunks of him as holy Still he is a great ruler A Dishop
of Noyon l used to know never called lum anything but ’Monsieur de
Rome’, he often made me laugh.

I had iio lo\c for the late Pope, 4 but, purely for die sake of truth I
must tell y ou that it 1* absolutely untrue to say he was m lose with the
Pretender's wife * Tot one thing be was a man of seven ty -three, and, for
anodier. he mile red from such a dreadful rupture that his belly and
intestines were held m by a silver plate Thu is no condition for bcuig in
love, as you can easily imagine No wonder, though, that he was
interested m this Princess for he officiated at her baptism and marriage,
and he thought that if die Pretender could regam the English throne die

" A few weeks after retiring to Gu&eaiinde John Law left ranee altogether H'
took with bun only a small part of lu* personal femme and d ed a poor man in
Venice (n 1729

4 Clement XI had died on March 191b

* Mam Clementine Sotieska who had married James (fll) *n 1719

■Letters front LiseUtte;

2.3 2

whole country would once- again.he.iii. his own power arid -the priestsV"-.
So, you see,. he was' quite . right to interest .himself in this Princess .ahd '.-
hec' husband. A seventy-thfee-ycar-bild galaiit with a silverplate is a very;^
shocking galanterie \ No French cardinal can lay claim to the papacy.
unless lie was bom in Italy. Aiberoiii has a greater chance of* becoming:
Pope than, any of them. ..

St Cloud 26 April 1721 M Teray knows Ms business,, and inspires
confidence. I do as I’m told, but f am absolutely convinced that ourhours V .
arc numbered, and that we can’t exceed the limit. So long as I ammeahf-
to he alive the. doctors will find every possible cure, but once the fatal
hour comes which the Almighty has ordained for taking me out oftliis
life, they will be quite powerless. I view the prospect with indifference.;,' .
I know that I was born only to die, and await the time without
patience or fear, and pray to God to let me have a peaceful end. Nothing 5
you read in the Bible about the time before the Flood, or Sodom. and •
Gomorrah, comes anywhere near the life people lead in Paris. Of nine ;
young people of quality who dined with my grandson, the Due de. .
Chartres , 1 a few days ago, seven had the French maUise. Isn’t that disf
gusting?

•Hhkp v6n Hauling ..^£'

■■■St Cloudli May 1721 .It suits me to be.out, of Paris. My health is.mufch,';-
improved. !When ;I open my window die air here is scented like a • {;
... boiiquet of flowers, very different from Paris, where you. smell notlungV;.

1 hpt emptied close-stools and chamberpots, wMch have not an agreeable-.?-
'. -perfuine. '?• ,‘ v . ■ ...f , , •..■ /_ , .. *-V?i

. ! ■ " v ,■ ■■ • ? V: •• . <V f'{

St. Cloud 24 'May. 1,721 .. Next. Wednesday is jiiy birthday,; according. to :-K
tlic--new calendar. The :Wcatlier is most unspriiig-like today; there -is a ,
cold north wind~-just like November. I thank you with, all ray heart'

’ • for: your/gdqd wishes, -dear.Luise,_fbr ; my birthday. Tliere' is no danger p.
;''^fT^^l;change.jny\way. of-life/I am just as the; pkhFrerich proverb ., '
s&yfffei stiis comnK le camelot, Won pit est prisf But I did ehjpy niyselfa '
little aftcball; -for i fouiid a tiew jrriedal for my cabinet, a: Nero.; I have : .
> 'Cpheetedlp57:mcdals since Tbegaft .ten years' ago; and if God gives'me.a;
fdw^yeafs longer lihop.e fo; reach -a thousand and.leave my sphtone'-qf^
;^the' rarest aria ^esXniedqiJUerin all Europe after- (he King’s, because my';. ;

good condition. ^ , •. .< ? -f- y. ■ r >

.■r>.-:-*;Lo\nswasnotyet<rightecn. ’-. ■-:< ■ -V >!«'vvt..v

Letters from UsebUc 233

St Cloud 24 July 17H Wlicn I was -young I was never ill, tl tanks to
hunuug, which after God helped to keep me well for many years
Exercise is good for tlte health, I hunted on horseback foe tlurtv ) cars,
and in raJMttt for ten. As long as Monsieur was alive l used to Tide
Smcc the King’s deatli I have said goodbye to everything to do with
hunting, but I have had three serious illnesses since then, which makes
me believe that hunting kept me in good health m my younger
days

Holland, to my way of thinking is a pleasant country' Amsterdam ts
worth seeing too Utrecht is still dear to me, l had such an enjoyable
time there One thing is certain, anyone who lias seen Holland will
find Germany dirt) , but to find Germany clean and pleasant one only
lias to sec France Nothing could be more stinking and pig-like titan
Pans

While I was in Heidelberg l nev et read an) romances, but I’ve made
up For it in the time Vve spent here,' there isn’t one 1 liaveu t read
Even Atnadu* (but I only got to the seventeenth volume, ami there are
twenty-fouT) and k roman des romans, Thfaghic et CloncUc At Fontaine-
bleau this story u painted in die King’s <f Oval, and very inter-

esting it is Apropos of Fontainebleau, if one isn’t used to hunting one
can turn fine somersaults there, but I didn’t have as many falls there as
1 had around here* I think it must be because I loved the place so much
Nothing bad or disappointing ever happened to me there, on the
contrary, I have had more enjoyment there than m any other place m
France

St Cloud 7 August 1721 Yesterday I called on the King who had been
ill 1 was surprised to see him running gaily towards me , lie had been
bled from the arm and foot, had taken an emetic, and had had another
general purge the day before The people are quite foolish with joy,
they troop round in groups with drums and files, and shout Vxvc le roi
so loudly that you can't hear yourself speak, Te Dettm Laitdan is was
sung in all the churches, my son went to the one at Notre Dame
In die evening ar eight, when I left town, die whole place was illu-
minated by fireworks and Chinese lanterns

* Idselotte’s Father hid forbidden his children to read romances because he fo’ithat
tods practices tiugjat turn h« sons into adventurers and his daughters into whores

» Amfu dr GdtiJie by a number of writers. The first four volumes by die Portu-
guese Yhco dc tohetra, vve re regarded as a mastery sect by Cervantes, who based
the character of S3on Quixote on the hero of this ■work, Tl ttgh* et Chrictfe uby
Jlfliodore.

234

Lettcrs'from Liselotit

Herr voij HAriiwg ; v r ; -V

Paris 17 September 1 721 First, our big news: last Sunday axoiirier-';.
from Spam brought letters to die young . King and -my son; The.Kjrig f f
of Spain wants to send the Infanta, his daughter, to be educatedliere.
The Duchesse.de Ventadoilr is to bring her up; she will go and fetch-
her in the spring. The little Infanta will be four on March' 31st. se> - i ,
our young King will have to wait another eight years before ' His •; ■
Majesty is a married man. What a lot of water will Sow under : 'the
bridge before tills marriage is concluded ! In the meantime it will make -.;
for peace between die two crowns. ■ .

Plans to link the Spanish and the French branches of the Bourbon’:
family had formed part of the Franco-Spanish peace treaty, signed jh'.'
the spring of 1721. .

Luisb

St. Cloud 25 September 1721 Today we are all in grand habit, because I.
have to attend a ceremony at three o’clock this afternoon: die rccep- ..
tioii of that damned Cardinal Dubois, who has been sent his biretta by
the Pope. 1 I shall have to greet him, and ask him to sit down arid ,;’ ;
entertain him for a while, none of which will be easy, but trouble and. . '
irritation are my daily. bread. But behold our Cardinal stalking in, and '’

I intist stop writing. . . . The Cardinal has begged me to forget the past,'
-arid, has’ made the itiost'bcaiitifltl speech imaginable. He is very cleVer; •

. that’s certain, and if he were as good as he is intelligent there would be
■little left to be desired: But there is devilish little good about "him, and ; f
.that’s the rub: - ■ : ' ] ' ' ■ J ‘f''-

!.Herh von.HarIing - .' • . : V'_' ,* v ' .; : v;

St Cloud 2 October 1 721. . I mtist go to Paris this morning to join withiny,,..
)spn and his wife in celebrating die happy news that we. received, last 'V
.Monday : a courier arrived from the King of Spain. asking for the hand ■ ;
.rdfmy granddaughter for his eldest son, die Prince -of tlic Asturias; Tliey - ^
will .be a yetyyoung couple, because the Prince' was fburteenon ■ 45 ,. " • :
/August, and jMile de ; Montpehsief will ,be twelve on -1 i December.
should tliink it .all very fiiie-if only it didn’t bring with it so many visits }
/an dj cdmplimerits , that '.'one hardly .kno ws where, toj turn, -but, as ' the . ; ■
proverb says, : -Jl font avoir ics charges avee les benijicesf -.of; of

who had'.hecorne ; Atchbtshbp.of CambKii.in i7zo, : hnd hosy beeh-made a .

/.cardinal. - V f ''.;. j \ ffvb vTV;'

Letters Jrom Xaebte __ 235

Our young bride has no name yet Although she Ins been baptized,
die ritual of nafcmng hasn't taken place The King and I will hold this
ceremony Before Mile de Mompcrtsicr embarks on. her journey, she
■will be furnished with three sacraments christening communion and
confirmation — that can’t often happen

I am quite well now thank. God but at my age I can’t exp- ct to be
reall> strong although I can walk for a good hour still

The plague has now reached Atignon through the avarice of a
legate. In order to make a profit (being av me ions like all Roman
clones) he imported cheap goods from places infected with the plague
sold them dear and thereby brought the plague into die town He
deserves to die of it.

Luise

St Child 6 November 1721 I went to bed carl) last night I counted nine
o’clock after I had got into bed, wtm to sleep soon after woke up at
half past four, and rang to have my fire nude up and the room put to
rights In the meantime I said my morning prayers andjusr after Jialf-
past five I got up I dressed put on a good pair of beaver sticking? and
my cloth petticoat and over this a long good padded dressing-gown
winch I fastened with a large, wide belt When that was done I had
two lights lit and sat down at my table Now yon know, dear Luise,
my morning's work as well as I do mys'dfi 1 write until lialf-past ten,
then 1 ?cnd for my hone) -water and wash m\ self as clean as | can rub
my painful knees and thighs with ean t uhtfrairc which my doctors
recommend ring and have all mv women come in Tlicn I sit down
at my dressing table and everybody men and w omen, enters v. hde my
bair is being done When 1 am coiffed all die men except for my
doctors, surgeons and apothecaries leave the room, and I put on my
shoes, stockings and calefons* and wash my hand* While this is taking
place die ladies ha\ e arrived to attend on me and paw me the things I
need for v. aslung my hands and liand me m) clicrruse Then the doctor-
crew leaves die room and my tailor comes in with iny dress l put tins
on as soon as 1 have put on my chemise When L am laced up all die men
comeback in for my numtean a so constructed that I ant fully dressed
as soon as the laces are tied All my underskirts are tied to die bodice
with tabs, and my manteaa is sewn on to it. I find tins scry comcntcm
When I am dressed usually at a quartet to twelve, I go to chapel Mass
lasts twenty minutes at most, and immediately afterwards Junker

*GJrpmr oc drawers ncl). v, am by the most old-fash oned and straight

heed women of the old regsme

Letters from Lsselotte

236

"Wendt, the first steward, comes in and calls me to dinner. Our meal
takes a good hour. Every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday I drive to
Chausseraye at Madrid at half-past one, but when I have any business in
Paris I go to the Carmelites on Wednesdays or Saturdays. We hear Mass
there and then go on to the King, from there to the Palais-Royal to
Mme la Duchesse d’Orleans, where my son usually joins us, and I go in
to dinner with my ladies and his children. My son rarely cats dinner
because his brain doesn't work after he has been eating and drinking.
Afterwards, at about three o’clock, I drive out to pay calls. Then I go
back to the Palais-Royal. On Wednesdays I go to the French and on
Saturdays to the Italian Comedy, and when that is over I return to my
carriage and come back here, and so to bed, as the bride said. On
Thursdays and Sundays I drive about the garden, before church during
this season and after church in summer. I never go out on Fridays and
Tuesdays, for ou these two days I have too much to write to Lorraine
and England. On Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday mornings I read
the Bible. Now you know my whole life, dear Luise, just as though you
were here.

HbrK von Harxxng

St Cloud 20 November 1721 Last Sunday the marriage contract
between the Prince of the Asturias and Mile dc Montpensier was signed
in the King’s apartments. Afterwards he came to our box at the Opera
and then, after supper, attended the ball. I came back here after the
. Opera and didn’t stay for the ball. This made all Paris say that I had
had a stroke and was as dead as a doornail, but that they had kept it
quiet in order to go on with the ball. That made me laugh.

Luisb

St Cloud 22 November 1 721 M le Cardinal Dubois is to make great
clianges in the post office, and to repair all the barm done by Torcy’s
avarice and self-interest. For example, the post to Lorraine: to save a
courier he had the mail thrown into die first chaise that was going to
Nancy, so that anyone who was interested enough could read all the
letters. He did a number of things like diat, when he was in charge of
the post. He is a real hypocrite, because under die pretext of prayers and
piety he does all the harm he can, and his greatest pleasure is to do
someone an injury. I'm glad he’s no longer in charge of the post.
"'Although the little cardinal is not much better than diat horrible
Torcy, he will know how to hide his meanness better and not be so
" obvious about it, "because he likes to be praised.

Letters from Liselctte

*17

Ifonlv the King were still alive I Then I had mote joy and pleasure
m one day than I have had. in the sue years of tny son's Urgency For
one thing, we had a proper Court then, and not this middle-class
existence which I can't get accustomed to, because I was bom and bred
at Court. While die Ktng v» as alive my son used to be v, ith me for days
at a time * now 1 hardly see him for an hour a month In Pans, v. here v. c
share an antechamber, 1 often go for three davs wjdiout seeing Imu at
all What is more, lus Regency causes me more v, orry and anxiety than
joy and consolation It has made me uneasy lor many y ears, worried
that he may be assassinated because of the hombk hatred that has been
mrred up against him Now he no longer tes trains himself in his
gtilaiittrics, but runs about for nights on end, which he couldn't have
done in the King's lifetime, and lus health is alw ays in clanger 1 used to
love die King widi all my heart for he was truly agreeable company I
really used to enjoy chatting and laughing with lum because he loved
it when one talked freely, and die other princesses, with die exception of
Mme la Duch esse, 1 could never bring themselves to do that We went
out hunting three times a week, in the mornings or after dinner I
never had to spend the night in that dreadful Parts, and only w cnc there
for die Opera, because we had plays enough at Court The evenings
were spent with various people, and during the day one could be by
oneself as much as one liked — m short my life w as not half so boring
is it is now Wlut is die use of independence when I no longer liavc
anything enjoyable to do? Nevertheless I could bear the tedium, since
I have renounced all pleasure and no longer care for it Bui to live in
secret feat without showing a sign of it makes for black moods I love
roy son v. ith all my heart, and he lives on such good terms with me that
I has e nothing to complain of But the more content I am with him the
sadder it makes me never to see him, and to have such good reason to be
m fear for him Still, I admit that it is a great dung to rule over a
kingdom

Mile dc Montpensicr, now the Princess of die Asturias — taselottc calls
her 'our little Spanish fly’ — set out for her new home immediately after
her wedding by proxy

Luisc

St C lend 6 December t? 2 i You eoutdn* t call Mile de Montpemier ugly ,
she has a smooth skin and pretty cy cs The nose might pass if ic weren't
1 Loime-Frangouc de Cond«L

23 8 Letters from Liselofte

so narrow, and her mouth is very small. But with all this she is die
most unpleasant child I have ever seen, so far as her manners arc
concerned: the way site talks and cats and drinks makes one lose one’s
temper just to look at her. I assure you I shed no tears at saying adieu,
and nor did she. Spain has a stepdaughter, a stepgranddaughtet and
now a granddaughter of mine for past and future queens. My favourite
of all was the stepdaughter, whom I loved like a sister — she couldn’t
have been my daughter, for she was only nine years younger than I
was. I was still very young for my age when I arrived, and we used to
play and tear about together. We often made so much noise, when wc
played with the late Carllutz and die little Prince of Eisenach, diat it
must have been quite unbearable. There was an old lady here, Mme de
Preimes, whom we used to plague abominably. She hated loud bangs,
and wc used to dirow petards into her skirts, which drove her to despair.
She used to run after us and try to hit us — it was the greatest fun.

Paris 20 December 1 721 I much prefer wearing die grand habit , to
die inanteau, wliich I have to wear now diat I am ill, else I should be
laughed at. One looks too much like a chambermaid in die manteau.
The wide skirts which are worn everywhere arc my aversion, they look
insolent, as diough one had come straight out of bed. The manteau
as I wear it is nothing new, Mme la Dauphine 1 used to wear one. The
fashion of the beastly skirts first dates from MmedeMontcspan. She used
to wear them when she was pregnant, so as to hide her condition. After
the King’s death Mme d’Orldans revived them again.

Paris 25 December 1 721 I told you in my last letter how die fashion of
loose skirts came from Mme de Montespan, who invented it to disguise
her large belly when she was pregnant. But it was litde use, for every-
body always knew, and whenever she appeared in this skirt it was like a
signal:

-St Cloud 5 February 1 722 Dearest Luisc, I begin writing today with a
great glassful of green juice inside me. I took one yesterday too, which
purged me thoroughly. I don’t dank it is quite done with yet, I still
feel something walking about in my guts. There, it’s been dispatched . . .

Now I come to your dear letter of January 2odi. X don’t know if
you ever heard our father the Elector repeat what M Grillon said to
him 'when lie put him, into prison at Vincennes: 1 * Tenez , void voire

* Maria Anna oEBavaria . <

3 Charles Xouis had been Richelieu’s prisoner at Vincennes from 1639 until 1640. -

Letters from Listhttc

*35>

• 1 l element. Prenez-y patience trt enrageajic* I always remember that when
t I hear of people being forced to be patient ,

1 'Heue VON BARLING I , l

Paris l March if 22 I’m as cross as a bedbug because of to-morrow’s
tedious events For six hours thave to sit in a coach with, die royat child*
h nine future, as she is called, who will be in tears because she is sur-
rounded by unfamiliar faces. Arches of honour have been erected all
over Paris, and at every one there will be an address, which is also my
aversion. My health is now quite perfect, but to-morrow may well see a
change, for boredom is most unhealthy for an old hmght-oC-ihc-
rustiing-Icavtt.

On January loth die Infanta of Spam had been exhanged for Wile dc
Montpeuster, at a ceremony on the lie de Paisans, near Bulassoa, on the
border between Spam and France As the Spanish travellers neared Parts
tjsclotie, a member of the welcoming party because of her position as
first lady 6f France, met them at Berry.

Path t March 1722 T irst I must tell you a little about our imall Infanta,
■whom we escorted into Pans last Monday. The entry was magnificent:
all die way from Berry to Paris there were such crowds as 1 have never
seen before in my life. Wliat I liked best was that there was not a
* window empty on the whole route, from the gates of Pans right up to
the louvre; every one was hung with tapestries and crowded with
, people in their best clothes. It was a marvellous spectacle What I
I' liked less was that we went the whole way at a walking-pace, and it
took a good seven hours without food or drink— that doesn't suit a
rustlmg-lcavcs-knight 1 can’t admire the little Infanta's patience
' enough, for the poor baby Was in that coach for seven hours without
crying or getting ill-tempered She must be the best child in the world,
a really good child. This is wliat she called out to the officer of the
hod^giiard, *.■&£’, av hsJjsz psNtvif gw/j ^w/ w jwJjW yfib * She only
began 1 earning French after Bordeaux. It fnglitens me, for children who
axe so dever often die young God preserve us from tlvat.

Lcise

Paris 26 A lurch if 22 J don’t enjoy walking m die TuHencs any more,
ihctc arc too many people. Since die King's death, and in die course of
our bourgeois life in Bans, I have become shy of people. I can well

Lettm'fromLiselotk.

240

believe tliat to make a habit .of going, to bed late, as in the King’s .day,;
when I never- went before one o’clock in the' morning . wouldn’t dd. •
Actually, it was worse still, because I used to write until, fdut. 'or .jQve
o’clock, and that, to. tell tlie truth, isn’t goo d for ‘anyone's health" and -:
makes you. foci sleepy and stupid all the next day. But I. don’t do that,
any . more. At the latest I go to bed at. n o’clock: I don’t get . oiv:.too .
■ badly with the King. I played a prank on his governors yesterday which :
rather amused me. The King had colic the day before yesterday, and
yesterday I gravely Went up to him and put a little piece of paper into •
his hand. Marddial dc Villeroy asked me in a pompous voice, f Qtiel
billet donnez-votts an roi?’ I answered, equally seriously, ‘A remedy for
the colic/ The Marshal : ‘Only the King’s physician may prescribe .for
tire King.’ I answered, ‘Pour eelui-ci je sttis sure que MDodort V approttvera.
II cst mime berit cn vers et eit chansons .’ The King grew embarrassed, read
it secretly and began to laugh. The Marechal said, c Peut~on' 1 c voir?’

I said, ‘Old, il ny a point dc secret and he found the following words:
Vous qtii dans le mdsentbre
Avcz des vents impdtueux
Ils sonl datigerctix
Et pour vous e/i ddfairc
Pdtcz

Pdtez, vous tie satiricz tnictix faire
Pdtcz

Trop hettreux, trop heureux de vous ddfaire d’eux
A ccs malhcurcux pour dormer la libcrtd tout entibre
Pdtcz

Pdtcz, vous 11c satiricz niictix faire

'f ;• Uctez ‘ V i--). y -'/v-

. .. Trop.hettreux y/

; ” \ He vous dbtivTcr d-eux , - : ; »\

. Bveryblie lauglied so hard that I was almost sorry to have played die;,
jbke/iTHe jyiar^cIial dc Villeroy . was. quite put out of countenance.-

: The indent tyarcchal de Villeroy was famous -for preventing evezyf .

./ body; 'andr.Vuiybddy' from /pnvately 'commiimcatnig : with .the- King; ' -,
/ ; Jdiev J^isgent himself had. the . greatest '..diificiilty; iiv;. arranging, for
■’ . ; audience.^ deux .-. .... i •- •. •- ■■

l-S'f^Cloiid.i lfjjmpi 742 /T'-must-. confess ^at.-b^wp'raed/a-'grM't: -dpa!
iabbutrthe ;Prijicess, 6f V/ales and-the- two Processes.; T.am riot so brave, .

^ Xtftitff&tH Listlolfe ^jr

Aiid if my children -were quite well I couldn’t possibly srcel myself to
1 jmke them ill, even though it was for their own good When 1 had
OTsallpox t was so ill that if the pain had lasted even half-an-hour longer
t should have died of pam 15 ut the inoculation is supposed to be quite
discreet, because the pam is supposed to be less severe, and to last for
a much shorter time, and it is believed that the smallpox will never
conic bach Thar must be what made the Princess do it God grant
dot she may find tliat tins is so and that the dear little Princesses are
protected for the rest of thciclivcs from this horrible disease My doctor
dwafl'r dunk dm remedy is safe, lie says he doesn’t understand it
f

Two of the Princess's daughters, Amelia ami Caroline, had just been
inoculated Against smallpox, with a serum that Lad) Mary Worthy
Montagu had brought from the East — almost a hundred ) cars before
Joiner began to vaccinate

St CJotid i$ June 1722 We left the dinner table a good hour ago To
aid my digestion. I went to see any new canaries being fed l have thirty
new l) hatched birds from my six old pairs, each one more beautiful
than the last. But there, they have come to announce my carnage, but
Vil just finish this page l haven't got my strength back, yet, l can't
walk tlie length of a room without puffing as though 1 had run down a
hare Gold-powder I’ve got, but hyacmdt-pills t simply can’t get down
When I had smallpox they gave me some, but I almost died of them
How can you possibly swallow' the disgusting things, dear Lnise?
1 have made up my mind never to touch them again as long as 1 live,
they are worse than any disease Ma tante once sent me two golden
tox« filled with gold-powder, but l didn’t take it To tell you the
,, truth 1 don’t like taking things, whatever they may be

Herr von Hauling

St Chiiii 4 July 1722 My visit to Versailles 1 made my heart so heavy
that! hardly knew where to turn Because, although l love the young
King and his dear bnde and In/omcfien with all my heart, I must con-
fess that I Catit get used to seeing nothing but children everywhere,
and nowhere the great King whom I loved so much This sadness
uiadc me so dreadfully Ored, because I haven't got back my strength

* laJ'snctiieKinglud moved firora iheTouvreto VerMtU - **.

242 . '

St Cloud 23 July 37^2 This year there is : ho. ,getting..'tb' ; riglitt ; vdienf
one has been ill. Four .days agd; when I ;begah taking 'diis.'yernibufii^:.
wine,- 1 was much better and thought I had got over the : worstv but thef^
day before yesterday all my voyeurs, longueurs and: aches returned:

St Cloud 29 July 1722 Our young King has nothing J in tjmof .ius.C;'
great-grandfather but resembles Mme la Danphine, his lateYmoihW, 0 ''f
as 011c drop of water resembles another, only he is miicE -better -looking f/:
than she was. His mouth and colouring are prct6er, md his: teeth ^e}, -
much better. When die old Marechal, his governor, is not wkKhim-L-,!,
he talks quite cheerfully and nicely, but as soon as his governor -is-'--
diere he becomes dumb and not a word cah.be got out of liim'^

Luisb 'V

St Cloud 5 September 1722 Thank you for your good wishes for ;thcV .
marriage of our Mile dc Bcaujolais. 1 Her litde Prince is a year -younger •
than she is, and when she arrives in Spain her husband' will be seyen ;
and she will be eight, so their joint ages will be fifteen. She is amusing ' '

. to look at, and is now trying to act die grown up; she always makes, ihe ; ,
laugh. But I feel so sorry for her youngest sister, 3 she lias becoine;fo.
sad since she knows that diey have to part. I have never seen 'children:; V’
.lovfc each other so much as these two. t

-The. maps of .-Maririheim and Schwetzihgen wiU :giye- : me'?nbch' .;
pleasure, - bht also a sigh or two, in so -far. as they will remind me of the :
good old-days: But the Elector Palatine?, is /really too humble to suggest
;! dying at my/poor swollen feet! • '.-i.-'- <-V • ••. • * ; V:'

- -StjCldud 1 7 ; September . 1722 /They, have almbst, -killed • die With- ‘rhdir ; :^'
remedies, as . they call them. First that damned blood-letting, which ■■■}
•-blade. me' -losc-'-so much .blood;-.- then . die-y«>,'-.'wWch;'^iirgcd;-jne";i 5 p-.,J,
Jyibleiitly ’ diat it Effected my .gall, bladder.; ah d in the end give me a. fine
-/'attack bfjatuidice'. The whole affair leniihdedme o£Le^ddicin;Malgr^,;
/Luip -wiiai; he, casks'. hisVpatient, ‘Mangezyvoiis bienP allez-yoiis .;hien?f ••
-(ihd, : ^Hi^tdie-iftwer-.is.-ihtKe;af&mari - w'saysj-. f J2fe. hiefi,Jpvous.'dontferai .'; ;

pit ydjts.qtera tout eelaJiy' )v’v $}■■?; “-V -j >’

--V j-ftflle /He Beauj oiais, ario thcr 6 i the Regent’s daughters^ was' now ,b etro tbed to Don -v
YGarlosof SpMn/yotingef trother^ of die Prince of the Asturias.. :<■

Y? r MUcdc. Chartres* : die Regent s.yodiigestdaughtef,~ag*3 A.-.,-*' 5 ... .

v - distant -relation ofLiselotte. .V. v • • ; ..h. -I .

Letters from Lssehtte 2J3

Hbur voh Haritno

St Glond ig Stepember v? 22 Short of dying, no one could he worse
tfuiil was during my horrible jaundice, which was caused by endless
purgings They tried to treat me like a Frenchwoman, and hc\er
considered tint French jokes like bleeding and purging aren’t fit for a
German kmgh t-of-thc-rmtbng-lcavcs Now 1 lmc sworn off all this,
and am. much better

St Ck ltd ad Stepember 1722 1 hope 1 shall be able to travel to Rhcims,
to give my daughter the pleasure of showing me all her clutdren-
Tins is the only reason that will take me to Rhums, I am not at all
curious to see the Sacre ,* all my curiosity his deserted me If it were not
for my daughter I should certainly not be going to Rheum The whole
trip won’t take more than three weeks in all, four da} s there, four
days back and the rest of the time in Rheum. The King will set off* on
the 1 6 th, and take seven days on the journey He v ill arm e on the sand
the Sacre and the Coronation will take place on the 25th, on the lOtli my
grandson and the Comte dc Charolais will receive the Cordon Bleu, on
the 3.8th the King goes to St Marccau there to touch die ei tra tiles,
saying h ral te touch et Dtcu te guint I think that is sveU said, and the
safest thing

Si Clci til j October 172 z Although I’m better than. ! was, 1 can’t boast
of any great good health But I have firmly decided to gwe my
daughter the pleasure of seeing me in Rheum and also hope that die
change of air will do more good than any medicine It’s all one whether
I die in St Cloud, Vdlers-Cottcrcts or Rhcims Yesterday m Pans I saw
the crown tint will be used for the King’s coronation There can’t be
anything more splendid, more beautiful and more magnificent in the
world- The great Saney* and his friends made a jleur etc Its, and above
it, between two rows of beautiful pearls are great rubies, emeralds and
topazes Everything is so beautifully sec tint it carmot be described.
But now I must go and dress

St CM $ October 1 722 There has been no change in my condition
suite 1 wrote to you two days ago It must go as God wills 1 am pre-
paring for myjoumey to Rhcims, and what w ill become of it ’time will

* Tlie womung of tlse King •whose coronation was to take place in Rheum
cathedral in October

* The famous diamond pear-shaped and Weighing Jij carat, V.as nam'd after one

ofmewlywiKts.

■Lciie/sfrpm Lisihiiel

tell’. I enclose a Iettef.ftoniyour nephew andassureyon't^t^whatey^t'
condition T may be in, I shall always 'Be ' his ' mdlyoim\t^e

Ltnsc . \ ■ ■ - Vi >■ * v --'

St. Cloud 5 November 1722 It was impossible to aiiswer-ydur : letters
today, not only because I was so tired; but because ofttlie (continuous:.::- 1
bustle and ceremonial, and also because. o£. die- doings of ihy children'
who were with me all the time, as well as an incredible number of otHer i (
people, princes, gentlemen, counts and bishops and archbishops, arid
cardinals. I don’t believe it would be possible to see or imagihe any- ...
thing more beautiful in the whole wide world than dicKing’scbrona- V
tion. I’ve been promised the official description of it by Saturday: •If,; .
God gives me health and life until the day after to-morrow I'll send',
you a report of it, dear Luise. My daughter was quite astonishedwhen ,
she saw me, because she had thought that my illness was only an excuse.;
But when she saw me in Rlieims she had such a shock that she burst into . '
tears. I was very sorry. She has fine children, although I’m-afiraid.the
eldest will be a giant; although he’s only fifteen, he is six foottall:* The
other four are neither big nor small for their age. The youngest, .Prince •
Carl, is what His Grace our late father used to call ‘a peculiar sort of
saint’; he never closes his mouth and is always gay, argues continuously;. .
With his sisters, andis very amusing. The handsomest of the three boys, ; •
to my mind, is the middle one. 1 Of the girls the youngest one miy be tlie .
prettiest, but die. cider one is so well-made that one couldn’t call her :

• plain. ■ , . ‘ ' .••(’. . ' ' ' ’ ‘ i.\

"' St' Cloud .19 November 2722 I thiiikT’yb already told you that during '
die pasfeight days .1 have bebn purged eighty times, which has made me , j .
So weak that I 'don’t know if they, will be 'able to pull me through again,: ;;

‘ 5 / 'Ghtjd ’26 .jtipveiiiber 1 722 I’ve .never, felt. so weak in all my life. : No
? wbrider,';when. widimiy 'delicate - digestion I have ;had : .to;..tak6' : ]thcir;.. > .
;fhediciae every morning and eyenuig since last Sunday. T feel as.ifthejh ..

• •^e’/dfag^mg'm^ : so_ul -out'iof my body.; I- should look ; forward to my .

| jb;imicy(.;tb . the iicxt world if only it could , b e accomplished . quickly

: ’'ani'.'withbut'pain: .To, tell you : ihe truths ’this illness makes, me fired bf .

life. • • ", . . '•• •. (h' V.-; : -

' . ht He died when lie was sixteen; - r- . — ■ • • >

' i-'*" Franz Stephan (Emperor 1745-65, husband of Marti' Theresa and father of Mane; •-
Antoinette). - ' . ,

' Ltttcnfrotn Lktbftc

245

St Cloud 3 December 1722 Dearest Luise, what I have to say of my
1 ea! ih today will not, I think, please you . 1 get worse every day 3 nd
ike end may well be near, but I am, praise be to God, prepared for
whatever may come God may know if 1 shall get over tins, .-md tunc
will tdl, bat I’ve never been worse than I am now. The w eathcr here is
not unpleasant, there was some rain today, though only a little I don’t
dunk the weather can have any effect on me now Tune, dear Lutsc,
w ill soon show what is to become of all tins Should. God take me to
hint, you must find comfort in the knowledge that I die without pain
or regret, and vs dlingly leas e the world m the hope that my Redeemer
will stay by me to the end In this belief I live and die, dear Luise,
for the rest it must go as God ordains A lot of people here complain of
coughs and cold, my illness is more serious, and gets worse daily
There, they are bringing me another dear letter from y 011 of Nov-
ember sist, but I can’t answer it now, I am far too ill If, if God keeps
me ahve until the day after tomorrow ; I will answer it, but for now I
will only say that 1 shall love y on with all my heart until the very end

Elisabeth Charlotte

Thu is Inclotte’s last letter She died m the night of 8 December xjli
Just before her death she said to one of her ladies, who w vs about to kiss
her hind at the final leave-taking ‘You may kiss me properly', I am
going to the land where all arc equal ’

. Mirie Thctise • -
,d.,of Pkilip'IVof Spain ■
' 163871683 - 7 .•

. ■ toms, xst or. ’
Grand Dauphin •••

' \ ' ‘ jVinmcigncur

1661-1711

Maria Anna Christine Victoi
■d. of Elector of Bavaria
1st Dauphine
1660-1690 .

Louis Attgosic
•Duc'ciu Maine'
1670 ^ 173:6

i Artie Louise V

Hmcdidr

<Je Condi','..
•: ..r*7^ri755, V

'Marie Eoiiiie-
Midcmoistlk'
• lift 5-1713

Philippe
Due d' Anjou
(from 1700
Philip V of Spain)
1683-1746

Marie Adelaide '
of Savoy ■
2nd Dauphine .
1685-1712

Marie Louise
of, Savoy,;',

1688 ^ 171:4 '

Charles
Due deBerry
1686-1714.

and Daupf
1682-171.

(1) Prince of the Asturias -. ~

: ■ (KihgbfSpain.1724) 1707-1724

',‘A.(2)_Don Carlos .of Spain h. .1716 *

" ’(2) Anhif Maria Victoria
(In&nta), 1718^-1 781-

be trbthe4i>)r'; •- • : : . • ' . . ' - ' •

•Diicd’Arijotl
- : 4tli Paiipfiin
.-'.'ffWn&'XV),-

27107 * 774 -

(mltftti )
Atltftuls dtf

rwi

0, gi unwed eii3 iren)

__rtiSprtl Due <ro»“mi_
i Memvicuf J

J yeuBjet F*n of Leu a \IU J
I »&1 /Uwe of Am xla j
« W * Ui

Henrietta S un lETuhe S Ch j-Jotte

d, of Chi J*» t of England <L of Eleeior Pihtiite

1<44 id-m t5sl i?li

itt Midimc and Miction

tnitie Tnneraio
MJ* de Nsnt*»
««7i »?41

Wi AwufJte
Comte ili Toulouv;
1«7*“»7J7

Kuril m W Ci’rtdi
(MleDue)

Frsneohe Mme
MtfcdeiUofa
1977.1749

Anne Mine

m V ctor Amide in II
ofSiTtty t££6-i?jl

Louise Ad hid
Mile U Cha-ttri
I 67 B t 45
Abbott of Clirila

loaoe Buate h
MUe de Mon ycnncr
1709-4 4»

LonltT

Ditil Orleans
(Due dc Chjftrej until
*7*3)

J'OJ 175*

rhii rpo n

Due d Orlfuu. Recent
(Due dc Chirltei
tuild 1701)

J«74 I7»J

lot M Duco
Mfled. Ciaitra
17 ‘9-»734

Wul rom

Mile dc JJfsojohli
1714 ‘734

lovrtt dc Conti
Dutch

DtceivJaiJi mel nt
total m t pe
FtuLpj'e Feu f
K ngi of ihe Belguni
F <Og< of BulgJrt*
Comic] de Iim

Deiocndir n include
Mine Am u* e
(m LouisXVt >f Franc*)

Mane toune

( jid * T* ofNapolecn I)
Ais'rlihFm-ero't
King! of July

SOURCES

Briefc Her Herzcgin Elisabeth Charlotte' von Orldansi-cdi ...WiUjahututlyng
Holland (Litterarischec -Vcrdn. Stuttgart' -1867-81) '‘e’

Atts den Briefen der Herzogiit Elisabeth Charlotte 'voti- Orleans qiidieMhfmliii
vonHaunot’cr, cd. E. B o d emann (Hannover, Hahn’sdic BucKliui.3liing'iS9i) ■
Briefc der Elisabeth Charlotte voh Organs,' cd. L. Geiger (W. Speraaim iSp’j}'/: ' ; ‘
Briefc der Herzogin Elisabeth Charlotte an Hire friihcrc 'Hofnieisteriit. md jcteti
Gcniahl, cd. E. Bodemann (Hannover & Icipzig, Ha&i , sdieSjidjfen.d!img^

X895)

Briefe der Herzogin Elisabeth Charlotte von Orleans, cd. H. F. Helffiolt (Insel- :

Vcrlag 1908) •; ,

Die Briefc der Liselotte von der Pfalz, Herzogiit von Orleans, c 5 .; G.-.K.unzel‘
(Langcwicschc-Brandt 19x1) ' a

Die Briefc der Liselotte: Elisabeth Charlotte von der ifaiz,-fjticItcised , .gMs;.i
Madame, cd. M. Wcstphnl (Langcwicschc-Brandt 1958) ?: :

BOOKS USED s

■s

Ariel! , R L Caroline of Ausbaeh (Oxford University Pim ipjp)

JJocJai, M v Modes and M irrvftr(Hb>3p rpj j)

Baler, L, M The farters of Elizabeth, Queen cf Bahama (Bodley Head 1953)
Cronin, Vincent Louts .W(Coltrn$ 1964)

Erlanger, Philippe Le K^enf (GallumrdipjS)

Gcmls, R Mahclren 1 i/rJ Brief e der Kttrjiirshn Sep hit 1 cn Han not cr (Langc-
vncsche-Brandc 1913)

Girard, L. (Htl.) Collection d Histoire XVI, XVII, XIU e Steele (Bordas 1962)
Headers on, £, P A Lady of the Old Regime (Bell & Sons, .1909)

Hcndenon. M PnneeEugen of Sai oy (Wadenfcld and Nicohon 1964)
Knoop, M Madame, Jjscbtte ton Her Pfalz % Etti Lcbaubtli (K F Koehler
1956)

Kurfirstm Sophie 1 on Itamru cr (August Lax 1964)

Lallocf, Chustiane Princess* Palatine, Une Prtncestc Allen ande 2 la Cour de
Louts XIV (Union G6>iral d’ Editions 1962)

Lewis \V. H The Sunicf of the Splendid Century (Eyre & Spottmvoode 1955)
Louts XtV (Andre Dcutjch 1959)

The Scandalous Regent (Andre Dcutsch 1961)

Mitford, Nancy The Sun King (Hamish. Hamilton 1966)

Oman, Carob Elizabeth of Bohemia (Hoddcr A Stoughton 1938)

Mar/ of Modeua (Hoddcr & Stoughton, 1962)

Qaenndl, P Caroline o/Ertg land (Collins 1939)

Sackvillc-Wcst, V Do ugh ier cf Trance (Michael Joseph 1959)

StcCgmullcr, F La Grande Mademoiselle (Harmsh Hamilton 1955)
Smnt-Stmon, Due de. Metier rr (Various editions)

S£vign£, Marquise de Letters (Various editions)

Wbl f, J ohn B, Louis X/T' (Vi ctor GaUancz 1968)

Ziegler, G metre. The Court of Versailles (Allen & Unwin 1966)

Lirousie Uiuvtrsclle, Libratie Laroussc, Pans
BracJduin Konversatio ns-Ltn kon, Leipzig/FA Brockhaos

HISTORICAL EVENTS

Calendar of historical events 1672-1722 forming background ti>

Madame s letters. .• ff., S-O'

. 1672-^8 • Louis XIV’s Dutch war. - - ."*• :• •

•France’s enemies eventually include the United Provinces of the.
Netherlands, die Emperor, various Gcrtnan Diete and';Spaihi The
Palatinate remains neutral. • ; •> ' T ; A.

1678 ■ Peace of Nijmegen ends Dutch war.

1679 Installation, of French Reunion Chambers. ■ '

1681 French occupy Strasbourg. • . . ■ - • '

1683-99 Turkish wars. Various German Princes fight for the Emperori . .

1685 Revocation of die Edict of Nantes.

Charles II of England dies. James II succeeds. :.V; '

Charles, Elector Palatine, dies. Louis XTV claims Lisdottc’s
Palatine inlieritancc. '•

1686 League of Augsburg formed against Louis XIV. Signatories.'.,

include Emperor, various German Princes, Spain. ' • '. < ; ; '

1688 James II flees to France. William m is called to Ehglahd^

French troops devastate the Palatinatc. • ‘ •

1688-97 War of the League of Augsburg. •” '

1689 Heidelberg Castle destroyed by Melac.- ‘f '' ■,

William (-1702) and Mary (-1694.) joint rulers of England.

England and Holland enter League of Augsburg.-

James IT lauds in Ireland in an unsuccessful attempt to- regain 'the ■

" ;EngIish throne.’ ' ' ' • . A-AA-V

1690 James H, defeated at the Battle of the Boyne, returns to France. -
jd97 -Peace of Ryswick ends Avar of the League of Augsblirg^ France.

\ .'recognizes 'William. HI and the English protestant Succession: ; .

' 1706 .. Charles . II of Spain dies, after appointing the Due d’Ahjou'aS heit .

to Spain. ' . • ' • ,

; ;T70r-i4 War of the’ Spanish; succession. Louis XIV fights for his grandson ■ •
,;theDuc d; Anjou, now Philip V of Spain. The Emperor Leopold i^r-.
allied to Holland and England, supports liis son the Archduke
Charles. .

1701 James 33 dies at St Germain. Louis XIV recognises the Old Pre-
tender as James ITT in contravention: of the agreement of Ryswick.
English Act of Settlement assures Protestant succession through
the House of Hanover.. '

Death ofWilliahilll of England. Queen Anne! succ V.

:;i702,

Hti foncaf Ci cuts

1705 Archduke Charles t ccogtuzed as King of Spun by several Spanish

provinces

J Emperor Leopold I dies. His elder sonjoseph I succeeds
17U Emperor Joseph l dies The Archduke Charles, m Madrid as
Clurlcs Cl of S pain, t cturm to Vienna to become Emperor Chutes
VI

1712 Peace Congress of Utrecht

1713-24 Peace treaded of Utredit and Rastadt.

171 4 The EUetrtsi Sophie dies

Queen Anne dies

George Louis ofHinover becomes George I of England
1725 Louis XCV dies Hu great-grandson, aged 5, succeeds as Lorn* XV

The Due d Orl&ms becomes Regent of France
Jacobite rising m Scotland
tjl 6 John Law founds Pans Bank

1717 Formation of Triple Alliance between France England and
Holland against Alberoiu’s attempts to re-establish Spam ai a
first-class pow er

1718 Albcrom attacks Sardinia.

Quadruple alliance between Emperor, England, France and
Holland agauut Spun.

1717 War between France and Spain

Fall of Alberom

Law founds Mississippi Com pan.)

1720 Peace b civ. ecu Quadruple alliance and Spain

Law becomes Comptroller General of Fr.mce.

Mississippi bubble bursts Law leaves France
1722 Coronation of Lorn? XV

INDEX

Abhxye au Bern. L\ convent of, 1 <yf
Msatm, Ttagtc Sumf, opera fay Duchc,
«S

Ag*n. M. d’, 67

Albemarle, Arnold Joosc van, first Earl
of (1669-1718), 107

Afberorrt, Giuho (1664-1752). protegS of
the Due de Vendojee, minister of
Philip V, Cardinal 1717, how he nude
lus fortune, 201-3 , m cole, 120 , steals

champagne, 137, other references, 170

200 205,208,3*4,232
Altxe) Sr« Tsarevitch Alcxrj
AUart, Court Inirdfesicr, 48
Amadis de C wife, 233
Amelia, Princess, daughter of the Pruiee
of Wales (later George II), 340-1
Anjou, Philippe dc Trance, Due d‘ Sc:
PlultpV

Anne. Queen of "England (£G6j-t7u).
daughter of James It, burned Pruici*
George erf Denmark • death of h« son
’ the DuVe of Gloucester, 93, death of
husband, JJJ, death, 5 66, ether refer-
ence, 47, 3pr , pin , 5>j, 107, i}o, lit.
347, *16 , 158

Anne Mane d’Orldans (1669-1728),
Duchess of Savoy, Wife of Victor
1 Amadeus II; Queen of StCily from
17*3. 133, Ifit

Amfaach, Caroline of Sec Caroline,
Pntiassof Wales

Anun, Louy Antoine da Gondnn dc
l '‘Pardu Hon, Dtted* (e 1665-1736). only
legitimate son of Mine dc Montespm,
j Sar-itaicfani des Rinwnn, rjl, *59
Appomonenrs, buying ami selling of,
136-7

Arc>, Mirtjnu d‘, 55
Argmton, Mane tonne Madeleine Vto-
toirt h^Bd de La Boun^re de Sfty,

Coratessc d’ (e 1680-1748) mistress of
Philippe If d’Ot hurts 96, t^irt

Armagruc ct dc Buonne, Louis dc
Lorraine. Comte d’ (i64*-17i8).
Grand feuyer dc Trance, Monsieur 1c
Grand, one of the three "Lorraine
brothers, *3

Amaud Antoine (1612-94), Jansnust and
anti-Jesuit theologian, 163

Asturias, Louis Prracc of the (37(17-24),
son of Philip V and. Mane Louise
Gafaneffc of Savoy, died tn the same
year as he succeeded 10 the Spanish
throne, 234-6

Augsburg League of. so, 51

Augustus It the Strong, of Saxony
(1670-1733), Fleeter of Sasony from
1694, King of Poland from 1697. $ 9 ,
1 10-11, 430

Avignon, plague at, iJ5

Dir-lc-Duc, 89

Baron, stage name of Michel Boy (d
1729), actor and humorous writer,

224, 22 j

Bcaujolais, Philippine Lhssbeth of Bour-
bon Ofl&ms, MUe d< (1714-34).
daughter of Philippe IT d’Orlcam, be-
trothed to Don Carlos, son. of Philip
V, 243

Belfont, Marquis de, 6}

Bernard. Samuel (i6ji-i7J0), kv&ct.
1 «S

Berry, Charles de France, Doe de (i6Sj—
1714), youngest 10a of the Grand
Dauphin, ’lc Berry de Madame*.
Ls<e lot re’s opinion of, 94. *JJ, 141.
138, marriage. 1 4*i *»d the death of
the Grand Dauphin, T4&-7 vrronous,
150, 158, renounces dura to Spanish
throne, 161 , death, 163. tS4t other

a S4 • ■ .

Berry, Due tie (co»f.)

references, -.4.611,, 88, 92—4; 145, 149,
207,2,18 •

Berry, Marie Louise Elisabeth d’Orlearis, .
Duchcssc de (Mile dc Valois) (1695-
1719), ". daughter of - Philippe II
d’Orl&ms; marriage, 142-3; overeats
. and is ill, 144; and the death of the
Grand Dauphin, 146-7; unattractive,
150; admonished by Liselottc, 151-2,

. 160; improvement in behaviour, 158;
quarrels with her father, 162; birth of
. daughter, 165; immoral behaviour,
193 mid her gift to the Duchcssc dc
Lorraine, 193 ; her child by M. Riom,
209-10; death, 212-13; reversion of
her pension, 214; other references, 163,
175, 177. zis
Berry [Provence], 239
Bcuvron, Lydie de Thdobon (d. 1688),
one of Lisclottc’s ladies, married to
Charles d’Harcourt, Comte dc
Bcuvron, Capitninc dcs gardes to
Monsieur, 37, 38, 39
Blois, Mile de. See Orleans, Fran^oise
Marie dc Bourbon, .Duchessc d’
.Bojingbrokc, Henry St. John, ist
; Viscount (1678-1751), 172
Bdssuct, Jacques Bdnignc (1627-71704),
Bishop of Mcaux from 1681, 106
Boiifllcrs, Louis Francois, Marquis, later
Due dc (1644—1711), Marcchal dc
. France,'. 138 and 11. ■ . ,

Bourbon,' Louis III de Conde, Due dc
; (1668-1710), Monsieur Ic Due, 87 .

, .Bourbon, 'Louise Franchise, Duchcssc dc
// (1673—7743); ‘"called Madame, la.
Duchessc, .'eldest, daughter of .Louis''
XIV and Mine de Montespan, married
Louis II Prince de Conde, 44, 65, 76,
’59

Bourbou-Coade,' (Ai»ne) Louise Bdn<5-
dictc de. See Maine; Duchessc du
Bourgogne, 'Louis de France Doc de.:
(1682-1712), eldest son of the Grand •
Dauphin, becomes Dauphin , on his'
/-/father's .'death;.- married, MaficAder /
:.v : laide«of." Savoy,. t>'uchesse.- de.-Bootv/

' speiierd from -iZiStilptteiS

gogne and 2nd DaiipKirie; atthe battle
of .Oudenardc, -.13 1 ; /his .wife, plays ‘a”'
.• trick on him; 139-40; and tlfedcathof '
die Grand I>auphin, : 146 ; becomes' the .-
Dauphin, 147-8; arid tHc death of his: .
wife, .152-3 ; death, ; 153V alleged 'to '
have been poisoned,: jijjW, 1 ' 159;.'-
Other references; 3 711:; 46,-95,106,122,

133, 139, 218 ' ■ ;■ / V -> (■ ■; \

Bourgogne, Marie Adelaide of.Savov,
Duchcssc de (16 85-171 2),. daughter, of
Victor Amadeus II of Savoy and 'Arihe
Marie d’Orl&ms ; Daupliinc from 1711 : .
arrangements for. her marriage, . ,74-j ;
her beliaviour, 84/93, 202; .her .first.,
son, 115, 116; plays a trick on-her
husband, 139-40; under Mmcyilc
Maintenon’s influence, 131-2, 144,
202; and the marriage of thc-Duc de 1
Berry, 142;. and the death of; die,
Grand Daupliin, 146, 147/ 149;. cross
with the Due de. Berry, 150; .death, -
152, 156; alleged to have beeri.'.-

poisoned, 153-4, 159; wild company .
in her rooms, 20a; other, references,,
76, 83, 87, 89, 91, 92, iqb,-iqr,;ib5,'
122,143,227,242 .. • //'-;/•/

Bracciano, Flavio degli Orsini,- Duke.of
(d. 1698), 10411. v- ,

Bracciano, Duchess of. ’5a Ursins/Marlc .!.'
Anne, Princesse des

Brandenburg, Electors of See Frederick .’

Ill; Frederick' William . . 1 . V ' 1 j '■
Bretagne, . Louis dc France, .Due - de
(1704-5), is'ti on .of ^dje/Duc'ct. .
Duchessc de Bourgogne, 115; -IKS-; \ -
Bretagne, Louis de France, 2nd 33uc .de'

. . (1707-12), 3rd Dauphin, -ind son-of the
' Due ct Duchessc dc Bourgogne, 155
Brittany, unrest in, 191-2
Btosscau, Hanoverian political agent in
; Paris, 44-5 • .

Jiuckeburg, Countess of, lyi
‘By your leave’, Lisclotte’s use of, tJ4 .

Calcfws (draweis), 235

'Cariib rai, ; . Ar dibi shop /of ; See ;.F£nelon/

'■ 'Francois dc 'Salignac.de La Moth'c-.;//h

CatCutz. See D-gmfeld, Rsugrave
_ Charles Ldtttt \ an

'Carta HI* of Spam Su Charles VI,
AfdaiJakj: of Austria
Catolctt, Pnncws of Wales (1682-1737)
(Ca-olme of Ambach), daughter of the
r Markgrave of Btandenburg-Ansbach.
mimed Prince George Augnsnu of
Hanover Piter George II of England) ,

’ Pfincns of Wales 3714-27, Queen of
G<<wgc 11 1717-37 . Lrselatte's pen-
Cricfid. writes nr great length to
' Jjwlcttc, , delivered of a desd son,

186, fijth of a son. and alteration
over choice of godfarher, 191 , death
of her las'-horn, 19a, and the inocula-
tion of her daughters against smallpox
140-1, other rrfcmtts, 71, 98. 121,
17 s * *79, iSjn , *8?» *»3, ax*

Caroline, Princess, daughter of the
above. 240-1
Cnrdimuns, up, 130
CelKtmarc, Antonio del Giudice, Prince
dc(i<; 37-1733), Spanish ambassador in
Pam 202, 203, 204.

CeBe.pUgue in, 181
ChaiUot, 196

CTiamitlart, Michel I dc (1032-1701%
Eotijs XIV*s tufomec of war, 136
CWjer. Set Appointments, baying and
selling of

Charles II, Kmg of Spain (1661-1700),
%», 93, for 1 us k ref Mana Anna of

Pfala N cuberg , Mane Louise sTOrliSans
'Charles HI’ o£ Spun. See Charles VI,
Archduke of Austm
Charles V (1 $00-38), Kmg of Spam and
Holy Roman Emperor, 226
Charles VI (1683-1740), Archduke of
Amtm. and Holy Roman Emperor
&ot». 1711 , recognised as Carlas III of
Spam by certain Spanish provinces,

Charles XII, Kmg of Sweden (1 {►Sa-
ms) no

Claties (*631-83), Elector Palatine from
1680, ItsRlooc’? only legmmarc

brother death, 44-3; other reference,
159

Charles Louis, Hector Pahtmc (1617-
Eo), son of Frederick V of P&lr-
Ssmmem and Elizabeth Stuart the
"Winter Queen', father of Liselottc,
53. 95, *60, 311, 3i3, 333, *38, *44

Charles dc St AJbin, Abbe (J 1764), son
of Philippe U d’Otleans and La
Florence, 184 eird «

Charlotte. Electrcss (1627-86), daughter
of Wilhim V Landgrave of Hcsic-
Cuacl, marriwd Charles Louis the
Elector m 1630, mother of fascicule,
45

Charobu, Comic dr, 343

Charolaw, Mile de. See Mains, (Anne)
Louise Bmfdscte de Doarbon-Ccndii,
Diirlirsse da

Chartres, Dues dc See Orleans, Louts,
Due dc Chartres ct d\ OrWazis,
Philippe II, Due de Chartres ct d‘

Chatncs, Mile de, youngest daughter
of Philippe II d Ortfam, 183 aul n ,
343, for other Mila dc Chsutes *ee
Lorraine, Duchcae dc , Orliuis, Louise
Adelaide d

ChStcauiIncrt, Arme-Madcleinc de
(1661-1741), om> of Luelotte’* imrer
iriittmrur, 198, 3ii, 333

Chansscrayc, Mane ThfrSs- le Fct.l dc
Vemot de, maid of honour in L»c-
lotte’s household, join , 334

Chelles, convent of, l66*i , iai, Abbess
of (nre Valou, Charlotte Aglac
d'Oiiiaus, Mile dc)

Chcv ahef , ilic Set Lorraine, Philippe dc
Lorrainc-Atmsgtiac, called the Cheva-
lier de

Chcvreusc, Jeanne Mine Colbert. Duch-
«sc dc (1652-173 1) d-ugjuex of
Louis XIV’s minister Colbert, married
to Charles Hobo'd d’ Albert de Luyties,
27

Chirac, Pierre (1630-1732). phys am to
the Recent, and from 17J r to Lorn*
XV, 317

2$6

Choin, Marie Emilie Joiie de, mistress of
the Grand Dauphin, and thought to
have married him in 1706, <58, 144, 149
Christine, Queen of Sweden (16215-89),
59

CleJie, by Mile de Scudery, 84
Clement XI, Pope (pontificate 1700-21),
1 8 1-2, 231—2

Cldrcmbauit, Louise Fran$oisc Bout-
hillicr, Mardchale de (1638— 1 722), one
of Lisclottc’s ladies and a friend, 146
Coeuvres, Marddialc. de. See Estrdes,
Lucie Fdlicitd d’Aycn de Noailles,
Matddiaic et Dudlcsse d'

Colbert, Jean Baptiste (1619-83), Con-
troller-General of Finances, 117
Condi, Henri Jules IEL dc Bourbon,
Prince dc (1643-1709), called Mon-
sieur le Prince, 2911.

Condi, Louis lllde. See Bourbon, Due dc
Condd, Louis Henri dc, grandson of the
Grand Condd, son of Louis III Prince
dc Condd and Louise Fzan?oisc
(Madame la Duchcssc); in charge of
Louis XV’s education after the dis-
missal of the Due du Maine, 200
Condd, Louise Fron^oise de (Madame la
Duchessc) (1673-1743), daughter of
Louis XIV and Mmc dc Montcspan,
married Louis III dc Condc, 237
Conti, Francois Louis de Bourbon,
Prince dc (1664-1709), 75
Conti, Marie Anne dc Bourbon, Prra-
ccssc dc (1666-173 9), daughter of Louis
XIV and Mmc de La Vallierc, matric.d
Louis Armand, Prince de Conti (1661—
85), 43, 68, 75, 77, 10S, 124, 143, 147,
149, 1S5, 205, 220, 222
Corneille, Pierre (1606-84), dramatist, 32
Coypcl, Antoine (1661— 1722), Philippe
II d’Orldans’ painting master, 134*1.
Coysevox, Antoine, sculptor, non.

'' Craoii, Gointc de, 207
Craon, Comtesse dc, mistress of the Due
dc Lorraine, 18211., 192, 19511., 207
Crcqui, Charles de (1623—87), Frendi
ambassador to Horae, later to London,
Governor ofiParis 1675, 112

Letters from Liselotte

Dalance, maker of microscopes, 77
Dangcau, Sophie Marie of Bavaria,
Grafin V011 Lowenstcm, Marquise de
(d. 1736), 59

Dauphin, the. See Bourgogne, Due de;

Bretagne, Louis de France, 2nd Due
• de; Louis, Grand Dauphin
Dauphinc, Mme la. See Bourgogne,
Dudicsse de; Marie Anne Christine
Viccoire ,

Degenfeld, Raugravinc Ainalic Elisabeth
von (1663-1709). half-sister of and
called Amckcse by Liselotte: death,
138; other references, 85, 134
Degenfeld, Raugrave Charles Louis von,
Lisclottc’s favourite stepbrother,
known as Caxllutz, 37, 39, 47-8, 31,
1 81, 198-9, 238

Degenfeld, Raugravine Luisc von, eldest
half-sister of Liselotte, and to whom
many letters arc addressed: in London,
169; takes a house at Hampton
Court, 18511.; other references, 69, 77,
86

Denmark, Princess of See Airac, Queen
of England

Denmark, Queen of, m
Dcsmares, Mile Charlotte, actress, mis-
tress of Philippe II d’Orldans, 88w.,
184, 225

Dogs, Lisdotte’s, 66, 104, 107-8, 113,
162, 172

Dubois, Abbd Guillaume (1G56-1723),
tutor to the Due dc Cliartres (Philippe
II d’ Orleans), Archbishop of Cambrai
1720, Cardinal 1721, first minister to
the Regent, 55, 60, 63»., 234. 236
Duche, composer, 105

Effiat, Antoine Rend, MarqUis d’ (1638-
1719), master of the horse to Philippe
I d’Orldans and one oflus favourites:
schemes against Liselotte, 36, 39, 48,
49, 60; depraved, 38; considered as
governor of the Due de Chartres
(PiiilippeB d’Orldans), 53, 54~5i death,'
210; other reference, 212 j
Eisenach, Prince of 238

ItlftX

257

Elisabeth Farncsc of Parma, 2nd Qneen
of Philip V cfSpnn, I?o, »7i
Ekzabctli, Queen of Bohemia {die
"Winter Queen*) {*596-1662), daugh-
ter of James 1 or England. tiumed
Frederick V* Elector Palatine, Luc*
lone* * grandmother. *94. 229-JO
Jat fonts XVonre, p jt tpiattUr. explanation
c£ ta8

Epsom sale, itStS

Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick-
Luneburg Elector of Hanover (1629-
98). 27, for hu *ife (Liselorte’j aunt)
see Sophie, EJrctfOi

Ernest Augustus (t 674.-1728), youngest
son cf the above, from 1710 Bishop of
Osnabrfick, created Duke of York by
bu btother George 1, 169
Estrfes, Lucte Fdlicitfi d’Ayen do
Nculltcs, Marqime de Ccruvro,
Dudiessc et Mardchaie d , 1 40
Etiquette at Court, *9-90, *68
Engine Francis of Savoy, called Prince
Eugene (1663- *7J6). 1*4, 125, taCn.
*3*, »3iu . *J6, *3*« . 229

Fagon. Guy Crescent de (1638-1718),
Lorn* XW’ > chief pVryi cum from 169 3 .
43«-* *73. *7*

Famine of 1709 , IJ4. *35. *39
Ffntlon. Framjou de Salignac de La
Motho (1631-1713), Archluhop of
Catnbrai from jfip J, 106, 163
Flanders, 61, 63

Floury, Mile, daughter of the Grand
Dauphin and La Raism. 149
Florence. La, actress, mistress of Phibppe
II dOrlfam, 76rt. 184
Fontainebleau (Sc ine-<i - Mam e, District
of Pans), one of die Court’s residences,
»9. 74. 139. 167. 3 3 3
Fonunges, Ducksc de (d 16S1),
mistress of Loins XIV, 47. 2tr
Fcr&otges. if* (ribbon-coiffures), 47
Barges (Normandy), 59
Franca I (*708-65). Holy Roman Em-
peror, son of Leopold Duke of Lor-

raine, husband of Maria 'Theresa and
father of Mane Antoinette, 244 end ».

Francois L Kmg of France (l 494-1347)*
228

Frederick. Ill (1657-1715), Elector of
Brandenburg, King of IVusm (as
Frederick!) from, ryot, 19.60,79 gjH ,
154. 1 23. 139, for his wife see Sophie
Charlotte

Frederick Pr-rtce of Wales (1707—51),
von of George U, layrr , 102, 233

Frederick William (1630-S8), Elector of
Brandenburg known as die Great
Elector, 49

Frederick William (1688-1740) Crown
Prince of Prussia, Utec Frederick
William I of Prussia, 124

Frcnnes, Mine de, 211, 538

FriednJt August !l of Saxony, Pnncc,
later King of Poland, j6S

Ga?i>pu«, 58

George I (1660-1727), King of England,
Elector of 1 lanover tom 169$ di Fer-
encs with ihc Prince of 'Wales, 191,
193-4, 223 , dislike of ceremony, 21 1,
other references, 27, 3311, 127-8, 1 66,
167, t 69, 170, i*t

George 13(1683-1760) (George Augusta*
of Hanot et), son of George I, end
eldest grandson of FJecrress Sophie,
crcaicil Pnncc of Wale* 1714. Guar-
dian of the Realm dunti^ George I**
absence, |So, difference with Ins Either,
19*. *93, *9b 223, other references,
121.17*. »8j

George HI, King of England, j tjn

Gco'gc of Denmark Ponce, consort of
Queen Anne, 92/1 13511

G-orge Augustus cf Hanover (16S3-
1760) See George I

George Lotus, Elector of Hanover See
George I

Gloucester, Duke of (1689-1700), son cf
Queen Anne, 92

Got'in, th- (or bale goblin) Litelottfi'*
nickname for the Due de Richelieu

(5.)

258

Gramont, ' Antoine ■' Charles, Due; de '■
; • (164.5-1720), . 33^,- i 38 / ‘ i

Gramont,, . .Elizabeth-' Hariiiltoh, , : Com-- .

- tesse de (1641-1768); IJ6 ..

Gramont, Philibert,, Comte -:de .(1621- ..

1707),- 49 . ■- ‘ • ;•

Grancey,. Elisabeth de (life de Morn’ay-
. Villarccaux), member- of die Orleans ;
household and mistressofthe Chevalier ,
de Lorraine, though Monsieur’s xoai- • '
tresse en-titre, 39, . 49-50, '212
Grand, Monsieur 'JcJ See Armagnac ct
de Brionne, Comte d’

Grand Dauphin. See Louis {166 1-1711)
Grandsons of France, explanation’ of die
rank, 128

Guyo'n du Chcsnoy, Jeanne Marie
Bouvicr de La Mottc, Mine (1648-
1717), rpfi

Hampton Court, 185
Hanover, Elector of. See Ernest Augustus
. of Brunswick-Luneburg
Harcourr, Marie , Fran^oise de Brancas
, d’Oise, Princessc d’, 75
. Harling, Anna Kadicrina von UfFeln,
Frau von (d. 1702); Li-'dottc’s gover-
ness : death, 1 05 -A5; . other references,

. 27, 28, 30, -33, -35; 48, <56,102, 128, 162/
...■323' _■ ■:

Harling, Cliristian . Fricdricli von, hus~.
Ah-band of the shove, 28, 3 83; 213 .
'Harling, Ebcrliaid. Ernst Von, nephew of .
i, /the;&bovG page boy ,to Liselottc'and.

; ’ later Captain of her guard/ 28, 1.8311.,
;2o8; - : 2_p9 .'' •*-. ' !

Hartsocheri ; M/,' .Dutch scientist ;. 77; ■ • • •
'Heidelberg:; destruction , of -the ' .Castle,

. ,i.'5a; : ,tebuUdmg -o£\ 129 ; other. refers _

- ’cnees, - i.Cyjii . ; ’ : 2dS ,- 223 , 22.3 , - . ’

1 ''Jiennerta; of England/ SeKOrldans; Hen- ’•
rietta . of ’Eiigland, Duchesse' d* ... *•“ >> ■ \
Hetreiihaus’enj ‘ 114; -r, S'-'..'- 1 '-- ‘ -A - ’ ; !. ’:

•;:Hdld^^, Fredenka-.yisc<>untes's, .eldest ;■
'T -.dAig&torCof 'the- Duchess;' of. Schom-; •.
. betg ‘.aiid'Lemster,-: 170 -v - ; ->

Holland, 233' , «' - . ,

■ Holy - .^6m'ah'-Eiiip'crcis..'iSee'Chirles -y

Charles. Vi;- Francis - - Tj'.Joscph-X-,-. .-f ’'.
i Homberg; ;W ilhcl m' ; tyori ; (i662^V7i 5)’,'

. •' y. dnahist/physiciaii, ; ^personal 'Ito'gE&s'
■ . hppe JI d’Or J&tn s,; : i23 «., i 54,; -i56;'22q
■ . Hoorne; Comte de, zii, 322' ?;? ■■■■.'/■

■ - Hyde, Anne' - (1637/71), daughter of the •
Earl of Clarendon,. =inarfied.;jfiih« :
’• .Date of York (Janies il), ^230 1 •(-;-£■

■■ Infanta of Spain, daughter bf Philip. y; -
• 234, 239, 241 \'~ : i

Innocent XIII, Pope (pontificate 1721-4),

231 ■ - ’ ‘ ^
Invalided, Hotel des, .124- , \y- 'V ’

Iron Mask, the .Man in the, 151 .’ v'.’v

James II (1633-1701), King of Eriglancff
death, 101; other references, -.52, 57-8;'.
do, .71, 72, 90, 93, 98, iptS, f -.i

James III. Sec next entry-, ,’ii
James Francis Edward ' -Stuart (r688-
. 1766), the Chevalier de Saint-Georgc,
the ‘Old Pretender’, ‘Jsimes III’ gossip -
about his birth, 123 ; 1708 expedition;
to Scotland, 130; 1715 cxpeditibh. arid'
support from the Pope and .Philip V, v
i8i ; other references, ior, ijr,’; 172/

' •231-*

Joseph I. (1678-171 1), • :,Holy Rdinah -
. , Emperor from 1705, 7411., 81, ;89-9oj

"-M48 ;-

’. Kieleminiscgg, ./Mme ' von, : lat«.;potm-]' ;
less of Darlington, favouritp. of George:
1, 180. . .-- v:l,v :

' Xlcnck,.'Fciu yon, Sylfeii. of . thcj! Hin<y
. . _ ycrlan-enytfy,:72 ,:j
•Knotting, ;I96,'.I9B ; "1 , -

Kolb; Jungfeh Liseiotte-s govcrhcss frdm'
v 1663, 9 .i~?- . . ' ;J-y :

’- ! . Konigsmardc ,-Carl;- Gouritvon;' ’ • v i ; "

• y K6nigsmarcki' : Philip; Clrristophe,- Gouht';
; ;■ vein • (1665^94), ; ” : sy^'disH-',-’'sbidier-r';
;■ - ’C - . adyehturcr,' 172 A -'--yX- S,;.’ c ‘-'Vp-, 'hi

Labertia-e,' : M; de,-.uni&i:^a^bmbr fb.tKe. ;■
y ■- Due de- Chartres;- (S3
..La Fayctte,:Mme dc,- 59 v "., - - - ; :v

Index

ZS9

L* I cudlade, Louts d" Aohu*soo Due de I
(i6?l-*7-3) Mar&rhal de France,
Uj.aaj - t '

Lagarde, Lite! me'* steward, 216
La Motif, Marfcbdc de, 74
LeniijwotrJ (card game) 6S, 67
La Rryrne, Nicolas Gabriel de (llfcij-
1709), minister of police 67
La Trap pc, Abb£ de Hij
Lauom, Antoine Nompir de Canmont,
Marquis de BuygtnUicm Comte,
afterwards Due de (1631-17*1) ail
La VatliLre Louise do La Baume Le
Blihc, Duchessc de (1644-1710), mis-
trial of Louis XTV, 10 u itt
La VumiDe, Due de, 341
La Vnlliirc, Franfoisc de Madly, Mar-
qune de, 1 39-40

Law, John (1671-1729) founds bank
and the Mississippi Company, 314
sought by tho aristocracy, 216, 2x7
CatitrLlcur-G^nfral des Finances, 219,
failure 234 - 6 , retirement and death,
23O-1 and n , other references 2x8,
319 233437.228

Leibnir, Gottfried Wilhelm von (164A-
1716) philosopiier 120, 179
Le Tellicr. Charles Manner (1643-1710)
Ajchb .sho p of Rheum, 141
Ltgnjfrtss, Fire, Lisclotte's confessor, and
a Jesuit, 407

XaJie, siege of (1708), 1330
1 st de JustiU, explanation of 177 min
Lortame, Charles dc son of* the Due
and Ditdicne de Lorraine, 244
Lorraine Elisabeth Charlotte d Orleans,

D licit «se 3 c (1676-1744) only daugh-
ter of Liselotte, Mademoiselle from
XC84, married Leopold Joseph of Lor-
rame character » a child, 42-3.ru tors
considered for, 33, jS 80 hatred of*
thing* German, 72, 73 » marriage, 8s,
82-3, married life, 84-5, death of
children 149, unhappy shout her hus-
band, iSa; on Immoral women, 193,
other references. 30, 64, 72, T74, * 90 .
193 194 , -<* 5 . 144

Lorraine, Leopold Joseph, Due de 1 mar-

riage, 81-3, married life, 84-5; and
Court etiquette. 83-90; his unstress,
lS~rt , 192, 207, other references, 74,
*90, *9J. *93

Lorraine.'Ph’lippc deLoTiinc-Arraipiiac,
railed die Cheval « d- (1643—
1702), one of Monsieur's favotmtn
schemes again*: Lwclolte, 36 79 48,
47. 60, cnrrupitng tnflucnec, 3?, Jits
mistress Elisabeth dc Grsnccy, 313,
other references, $2, iSr [

Lorraine smallpox nfe in, 148 149,
hailstorms in, 197

Lorraine brothers, the three Armamiitr
ft dc Bncmne Loins tL Lorraine
Comte d (f » ), Lorraine, I'lutippe de
Lorraine- A mu gnac, Ic Chevalier de
(71 ), Marsn, Charles, Comte de
(They were the tons of Hcnn, Comte
dHarcourt « d'Armigiue, 1601-66)

ton*?, silvcrem th 83

Loujs XIII (1601-43) King of France, I64

Lou t XIV (1638-1715), King of France,
ton of Louis XXI l and Anne of Austria
and Mmc do Mun tenon, 36 6* 73,
144. ijS, refuses to allow Lrxlottc to
enter a on vent, 38-9, builds die
Galeae des Gbas, 40-X; and the death
of h.s Queen, 41-4, nurncs de Mam-
tenon, 43, reproves Liselone for plam
rpcakmg, 43*4t and the Or I fans ta-
Witanre, 44. 53. illness, 45, perse-
cutes the Frorejtana, 46, 74, and the
marriage of the Due de Chartres, 60,
ignorance in marten of religion, 74;
and the Duehenc de Bourgogne, 75,
and Court etiquette, 89-90, 184, and
the architecture at Versailles, 90, and
the Due d* Anjou (Philip V of Spam)
93, 94 , quarrel with Monsieur, 96 , rc-
ccueifuoott with Ltsefotte, 97 -g, pro-
claims ’Junes III*, tot, top, his presen's
ro the Duchesse de Bourgogne, it J,
refuses All.es* demand to t tmove Philip
V, rs$, sends b« gold tableware to thi
nunt, t35-6,andthedealhofihe Cranp
Dauphm. 146-9; and the Wiatmur of
the Duchesse de Berry-, tjr-2‘ and the

260

Letters front Lisefotte

Louis XIV (com/.)

deaths of the younger Dauphin and
Daupliinc, 154-6; creates his bastards
princes da -sang, 166; death, 175-7; his
debts, 188, 199, Z14 , 219; and Lauzun,
211 ; increases Liseloltc’s pension, 215—
16; rules £br Ills table, 218; disliked in
Paris, 225 ; other references, 29, 31, 33,
34, 38, 47, 48, 57, 71, 81, 83, 100, 108,
109, 114, 117, 120, 124, 132, 133, 138,
139. 145. ISO, ISI, 153, 165, 173, 194,
199, 207 11., 209

Louis XV (1710-74), King of France, son
of the Due and Duchcssc dc Bour-
gogne: as a child of four, 168-9; suc-
ceeds to the throne, 176, 177; visits
Liselottc, 19T; Lisclotte calls on, 233;
amused at Lisclottc’s prank on Ids
governor, 240 ; resemblance to his
mother, 242; coronation, 243-4; other
references, 155, 183, 188-9, 194, 214,
241

Louis (1661-1711), Grand Dauphin of
France, son of Louis XIV and Marie
Thdrfcsc; married Marie Anne Chris-
tine Victoire of Bavaria (q.v .) : wishes
to marry Lisclottc’s daughter, 68;
ruled by Princesse de Conti, 77; Ids
mistress La Raisin, 77, 149; and his son
as King of Spain, 95; aud Mile de
Chain, 144; lack of conversation, 145 ;
death, 146-8; his daughter by La
Raisin, 149; other references, 29, 43,
46, 51, 58, 75, 79, 83, 95, 109. 122, 124,
132, 139, 218

Louis, the third Dauphin. See Bretagne,
Louis de France, 2nd Due de
Louise Hollandine, Princess Palatine
(1622-1709) , sister a f the Elector Charles
Louis, aunt of Liselottc; Abbess of
Maubuisson: death, 134; other refer-
- cnees, 38, 80, 98, 1 16, 211
LOuvois, Francis Michel de Tcllicr,
Marquis de (1641-91), 50, 59, 129-30
Lude, Marguerite Louise de Bcthunc-
Sully, Duchcssc dti {1643-1726), lady-
m-Waitiog to the Duchcssc de
Bourgogne, 225, 2I27

Ludre, MUe Marie Isabelle de, called
Mmc dc (1638-1726), one of Louis
XIV’s passages, 106, 21 1

Lundville, chateau of, gutted by fire,
205-6

Luxembourg, Francois Henri de Mont-
morency-Bouteville, Due de (1625-
95), 61, 63

Madame la Duchcssc. See Bourbon,
Louise Franchise, Duchcssc dc

Mail, game of, 100

Maine, Louis Auguste de France, Due
du {1670-1736), eldest legitimized son
of Louis XIV and Mine dc Monte-
span: Liselotte’s opinion of) 48, 206;
marriage, 61 ; enmity toward Philippe
II d’Orldans, 159, 188, 199; created
prince chi sang, 166; in charge of Louis
XV’s education, 176; schemes against
the Regent, 188, 199, 200, 201, 204,
205 5 dismissed from charge of Lonis
XV’s education, 200; arrested, 204,
205; other references, 52H., 54, 87,
117, 202, 216

Maine, (Anne) Louise B*5nt!dictc de
Bourbon-Condd, Duchcssc du {1676-
1753), Mile de Charolais: schemes
against the Regent, 176, 199-201, 205;
considers her husband Louis XIV’s
rightful son, 202; arrested, 204, 205;
and Cardinal de Pohgnnc, 204-5; her
confession, 219; other references, 6im.,
216, 220, 222

Maintenon, Franijoise d’Auhign£, Mar-
quise de (1635-1719), widow of the
poet Paul Scarron, married Louis XIV
privately, probably in 1683; ascen-
dancy at Court, 36, 45, 9°» marries the
King, 42, 49; and die King’s children
by Mme de Montespan, 48; founds St
Cyr, 58*1.; foils Dauphin’s desire to
marry Lisdotte's daughter, 68-9; and
indecency at St Cyr, 70; and Liselotte’s
daughter, 80, 81; influence on the
Dachcssc de Bourgogne, 131-2, X445
public hatred of, 138; alleged to be
making a fortune out of food short-

Maintenon (cont )

ages, 139; feerjimhoo of boards 143;
and tbs: death of the Grand Dauphin,
147; commanded by the King to
charge UseJotte to lecture the Duch-
ess* de Derry, 13 1 ; draw a mto Court
«Ldf. 159, mites to Sc Ctt on death
of the Kmg. 179-80, confronted by
the Regent, j 8 j; visited by Peter
the Great, 1 87 , and the bunun g of the
chSteiu de LunJvtUe, 2031* , death.
iOS-iq; and Ltielottc'i pension, 213—
16, disliked in Pant, zzj-6, other
references (many of thee arc Ltftdotte's
nicknames for Mine dc Mjuntcncm
Kunhunkel, little old sweetheart. oUl
Drab, old frump, old hag, old Rucn-
potnpcl, old woman, old trollop,
■whore, or old whore) 44. 47. 34- SS.
}», 39. 6x. 6} -5. 74-7. *7. 9i.9S.97-S.
joo-l, 103-3. 117, iifi. 134, is*. 15$.
i$8. I7*> 17J-6. iSS. 201-2, 10711 . ail
Malauze, Mite de, 107
Malplaquct, battle of (1709), is?**
Mannheim, 50. $5

Mansart, Jules Hardoum (1646-1708),
&s ounte architect of Louis XIV, 1 24.
130

Mmttau, the, Lwclotte’s strictures on, 23 5
Maria Anna of Pfalz H cuter g (1667-
1740), 2nd Queen of Charles H of
Spain, 89, 9J, 174

Mine Adelaide, Pnuctsi of Savoy See
Bourgogne, D itches!* de
Mane Anne Christine Vktoire. Princess
of Havana (1660-90). die Daujdnne
from 1679 illness and death, 33-45;
other references, 36, 37, 46, 76, 97.
iS5. ai8, 238

Mine Louise GabncJJc of Satoy (i63S~
1714), lit Queen ofPluLp V of Spain
death, 17a; other references, 102-3,203
Marie Louise d’Otihnt (1662-89).
daughter of Pluhppc 1 d Orleans and
Henrietta- cf England, first Queen of
Charles El of Spam. 34 , $3, S3. 66, 2 j 8
Man* Thifxeie (1638-83), daughter of
PkiLp IV of Spun, cousin and Queen

of Louis XIV ; Luclo«c*i siiM-mdiw:
dcatL, 4t-2; other references, 29, 35,
36,316, 22}

Marlborough, John Churchill, 1st Duke
of (1650-1722), 114. 130, 13ir„ 132ft ,
t 36. JjSn

Marlborough. Sarah Church-11, Duchess
of( 1660 - 1744 ), 149

Mar!) (Semc-et-Oise, District of Pans),
Lotus XIV’l retreat. 56, 87, 10*, 1 1 x,
114. 116. X24n. 132, 142, 184
Marseilles, 129, plague in, 228
Marsin. Ferdinand, Comte de (1636-
1706), Mar&hal Ac France, killed at
siege ofTurtn, 125. 1 16
Mary of Modena (1638-1718), Qu«*cttof
James n death, 195^7. ether refer-
ences. 83, 90, 93, 96, 98, 166
Mary, Princess (1662-94), daughter of
James II, later Mary II Queen of
England, 32-3. jz, 36"-. 37. J*. 71
Mary Stuart, Princess Royal (1631-60),
■widow of William II of Orange, 229-
30

Matnoh, Count Creole Antonio, of
Mantua, possibly the Man in the Iron
Mask, ijtn

Mtubuision, com ent near Pan*. 38, Ho,
J>9, Abbess of (ree Lotus Holland me)
Mcaux, Bishop of See Bosstiet. Jacques
Berugne

Meck.lcnbsirg-Sdjv.erin, Duchess* de

(1626-95). n/e Elisabeth Angchque dc
Montmorency, 34

Aftykctn htilyi Lsn, Lr, by Molicte, 142
Mflac. Er'dhicl, General Comic de (J
’TOO). SO

A fern ire Guhr', 41

Maiden (Scme-et-Oise, District of
Pans), icar of the Grand Dauphin, 77,
lot. tit. 132, J43. 146
Microscope*, 77

Milady Kent's pawdcT, IJZ, 1JJ
Msnssipps Company. 214, 224. ls6«,
2-8

Modena. Francois Maris d EstCj Duke of
(iCO^-iy^). marnol 2710 Mile de
VaW, 21^. ast

z6z

Molinos, Miguel tic (r. 1640-97), Spanish
mystic and founder of Quietism, 163
Monaco, Charlotte dc Graniont, Prin-
ccssc de (1639-78), daughter of die
Mar<fchal de Graniont, 211
Monmouth, James Duke of (1649-85),
son of Charles II and Lucy Walters, 41
Monseigncur, Court name of Louis die
Grand Dauphin (q*v.)

Monsieur, Court name of Philippe I Due
d’Orldans (q-f.)

Montagu, Lady Mary Wordey (1689-
1762), 241

Montargis, Mile dc, 33
Montargis, chateau de, Liselotte’s dower-
housc, 74, 98, 115, 13a
Montausier, Charles dc Saint-Maure,
Due de (1610-90), 50-1
Montcspan, Fran^oise Athcnals de
Rochcchouart, Marquise de (1641-
1707), mistress of Louis XIV, and boro
Ilim seven children, of -whom four
feature hi Lisdotte’s life (see Bourbon,
Duchcssc dc; Maine, Due du; Orleans,
Fran?oisc Mane de Bourbon, Duch-
essc d’; Toulouse, Comte dc; and for
lier only legitimate son see Antin, Due
d’); called ‘King’s Whore’ by Louis
XIV’s German troops, 183, 194; her
dress during pregnancies, 238; other
references, 31, 42, 46, 48. sm-, 104,
106, 130, i59»., 194. 202, 2Ti
Montpensicr, Louise Elisabeth d’Orlcans,
Mile dc(i709-42), daughter of Philippe
II d’Oricans, married the Spanish
Crown Prince 1722, Queen of Spain
X724 and widowed in die same year,
334-51

Morangis, M. de, 41
Moreau, Denis, head valet to the Due de
Bourgogne, 10Q

Mortagne, Comte dc, first gentleman of
liselotte’s household, 197, 32r
Mouchy, Mile de ForcadcJ, Mmc de,
favourite of the Duckessc de Berry,
<• 209, 213-15 5

. Naittur: siege of (1692), 61-2; the citadel

Letters from Lisehtte

captured by ■William III, 71
Nantes, Edict of, revocation of) 46
Navailles, Plulippe Due de, Marechal de
France, Governor of the Due de
Chartres from 1683— 4, 117
Negroponte, siege of(x68t}), 51K.
Nemours, Marie d’Orlcnns-Longueville,
Duchessc de (1625-1707), 74
Noailles, Louis Antoine de (1651—1729),
Archbishop of Paris, 215
Nijmegen, Treaty of (1678), 3s
Noailles, Anne Jules, Comte d'Ayen,
Due de (1650-1708), Marechal de
France, 97

Orleans, Alexandre Louis d\ Due de
Valois (1673-6), elder son of Philippe I
d’Orlcans and Liselottc, 28, 30
Orleans, Anne Marie d’, daughter of
Philippe I d’Orldans and Henrietta of
England. See Anne Marie d’Orlcans
Orleans, Cliarlotte Aglae d’. Mile de
Valois. See Valois

ORLEANS, EUSABETH CHARLOTTE PRINCESS
OP THE PALATINATE, DUCBESSE I>'
(1652-1722) (useiottb): engages a
page, 28 ; birth of sons, 28 ; first visit to
Fontainebleau, 29-30; death of cldci
son, 30; hunting accidents, 30-x, 79;
her sable wrap, 31 ; and the Prince of
Orange (William III), 32-3, 70-1;
death of her father, 35; relations with
and opinion of Mine de Maiotenon,
36, 45-6, 55, 58, 61-5, 68-9, 72, 75-6,
80-1, 90, 103-5, 126, 131-2’, 134, 139,
144, 151, 158-9. 172, L79-80, 201-2,
21 r, 215-16, 226; depressed, 36-7; her
letters scrutinized, 37, 109, 190; her
alleged galanlcrie, and seeks to enter a
convent, 38-9; describes the Gaferic
des Glaces, 40; on the death of the
Queen, 41—3; on Monsieur s torment-
ing ways, 42, 46, 72-3 ; on her daugh-
ter, 42-3, 58, 174, 183, 193 ; reproved
by the King for plain speaking, 43-45
death of her brother the Elector
Charles, 44-5 i on the persecution of
the Protestants, 46; on ribbon-

Jrulrx

■.63

osliians, mivsurn aim lotte, ntrcn-
esse o' (coni )

coiffures, 47 ; on tic proposed marriage
- of her children to Mmc de Monte-
span’s. 48-9, on die Due du Maine, 48,
r88, 204-6. 216, and the des-

truction of the Palatinate. 50-2. on
Mmc de Montespaa, +5, a 06, 238 , on
Elisabeth Gnnccy. 4.9-50. at*, anti
James It, $1, 57-8. (So, 93, and the
question of tTfffiit as gov error for tier
son, 53—5 . short of money, J3. 66, on
the IJaujiiunc’s health. 53-4 , and the
Dauphin c‘s funeral 56, on rejoicing at
reported death ofWillum III 56-7, on
Louses, 59 129-30 , and the marriage
of her son, 6t— 3, opinion of her
daughter- in-law, 63. 72. 195-6, 40(5
228-9, her ‘splendid conversation'
with Monsicut, 64, on war, 65, on
reasons tvliy site is hated at Court.
63-6, her pets, 6*5, 104, 107-8, UJ
162, 172 , reported to minister of
police, 67, and the proposal to close
the theatre. 67-S, dislikes Pans 68
2S9, 201-2, 213. 232 and the Grand
Dauphin’s desire to nurry her daugh-
ter, 68-9, on the vulgarity of the
French, 69, on. krwjuaitt, 6g, on
coiffures, 71, on Roman Catholic ser-
vices, 71, 207, on Monsieur's 'young
men’, 72, 76, 99, on her son, 72, 7 6,

Fi, 88 . 93. «l- 3 . 126. 133-i. I 5 S- 9 .

182-3, 189, tpt, 213. 219 213, 225,
236, on her daughter's Gennano-
phobia, 72, 73 ; on Mane Adelaide of
Savoy (Duchrsse de Bourgogne). 74-5.
76, 84. 89, 93, tio-t, Ida, interest m
microscopes, 77, and die illness of
Mile de Chanra. 78, on peter the
Great, 78-80. 167, 199-200, on her
da tighter as bride lot WiIEam Ilf 80,
visits liar aont at Mauhuisson, 80. and
her daught-t’s ■wedding. 82-3. on
Marly, 87. prefers English food to
French, 88; Gn the Doc d* Anjou
(Philip V of Spain), 88-9 93-4. 114,
and Court etiquette, 89-90, 168 , ou

rebuilding at Vemiflca. 90, attcrdi
chnoemng of the Bdl at St Etattthe.
91 .andjungfer Kolb, 91-2; on thcDuc
deBerry, 94 133. 141, ijS, illness, 95.;
death of husband. 96—7, temporary
reconciliation with Mine de Main-
tenon, 97, 100, reconciliation with the
King. 97-8 , refuses to retire to a con-
vent or to Montargu, 98; in mourn-
ing 9 s -y. bums Monsreuc’* letters
from his ’young men*, 99 , on Mention,
sot , on Mine "Louise GabnclJc of
Savoy (Queen of Spain), 102-4, on a
Spanish dress. U> j , on Frau von Hur-
ling’* death, toj-6, visits M. Moreau’s
apartments, 106 , on the death of
William 111 106-7, on tulips, rot ,
bitten by mosquitoes, 108-9, on lack
of pahtetse, 109-10, on the King of
Poland. J 10-ti, on sadness and cheer-
fulness, m , on appearing ett tnenteau,
ms i. on the uobibty, 112, *41, on the
body of tsaust, tis, on lit <3 pert, UJ,
187-S. on traveller’s tales of the Ease,
1 13-14, on the King’s distaste for her
company, 114, 120, 145. on die King's
presents to the Duchesse de Bour-
gogne, 115 , attends great entertain-
ment at Marlv, 116, on Iter aunt
Louise Hollandtnt, 116, atends illu-
mination at Meudon, 117, at Sccamc,
X17, on the ladies at Marly, 117-18,
and the death of Sophie Charlotte
Queen of Prussia, 118. on doctors and
mcdicmes, 119, 124, 241, her daily
round, 1 19-20, 127, 235-6, and
Leibniz. 120, 179, ou die Trianon,
12 1 , on Caroline of Anibath 121 , on
dcbiudicry at Court, 121-2. on the
Carnival, 122. on the Old Prutenda,
t33, >30, 311-2 , on the D&cae des
Invahdes, 124-5 ■ on the battle cf
Turin, 125-6 , on lier own appearance,
126, 160-t. on the bstth of George I,
127-S, cn the Tank of Grandson of
France, ia8 , on the esttsu ofha let'cr-
writing, 129, on the rebmihrig of
Heidelberg, 119, on Prince Eugene,

264

Lettcrs 'Jrom Lisebtte

OBXBANS, EUSABSTH CltAUCOTTE, J3UCH-
ESSE d' (con!.)

131, 2 29; on the battle of Oudenarde,
1 3 r ; interest in coins, 133 ; death of her
aunt Louise Hollandinc, 134.; on die
famine of 1709, 134.— 5, 139; on her
confessor, 135; on the Allied condi-
tions for peace, 136; defrauded by her
treasurer, 13 <5, 138; on die revolt m
Paris, 137-8; and the death of
Ameliesc, 138; on die trick played on
the I>uc de Bourgogne, 139-40; on
the picture by P4rc Sebasticn, 140;
recalls tomboyish deeds, 140-2; and
the Archbishop of Rheitns, 141; on
distinctions of rank at Mass, 141-2;
interest in medals, 242, 163, 229, 232;
and die marriage of her grandchild to
the Due de Berry, 142-3; on the
Duchcsse deBerry, 144, 150, 158,209;
on Mile de Choin, 14411.; on bautitc
blaiic, T45; on the Grand Dauphin’s
death, 146-8, 249-50; on smallpox,
J48, 242; relations widi the Due de
Bourgogne, 249; on the Earl of Sun-
derland, 749-50; on Fontainebleau,
150, 2 £>7, 233; first hunt -with the
King for 20 years, 150, 152; on the
Bastille and die man in the iron mask,
257 an A n.% on the death of the Due
and Duchessc de Bourgogne, 152-3;
introduces Milady Kent’s powder,
353 ; and die libel on her son, 153-9; on
the (abate, 159; her portrait by Rigaud,
1 <51-2, 174; on her son’s quarrel with
his daughter, 262; on the death of the
Due de Berry, 163, IG4; on the Prin-
ccsse des Ursins, 164, 170-2; 3nd die
death of her aunt Sophie, 165 ; on the
Duchcsse de Berry, 165; on Epsom
salt, 1G6; and Mile de Valois (Princcssc
de Modcnc). 266, 174, 210, 217-18,
223;' on Englisli treatment of their
kings, 267; . presents die Electoral
■ ' Prince to the King, 168; on the little
Dauphin (later Louis XV), 168-9; on
George I, 169-70, 21 1 ; on the Prince
and Princess' of Wales, 171-2; on

England, 272; on the eclipse of the sun
in 1715, 173; on, Maria Anna of
Neuberg (dowager Queen of Spain),
274; on die death erf Louis XIV, 275-7;
on France being ruled by women, 177;
on the conspiracy against the Regent,
177-8, 188, zoo-2, 203-6; Lord Stair
persuades her to -write to tile Princess
of Wales, 278; and die fire in the
Op6ra, 180; 011 Louis XV, 180, 183,
188-9, 2915 on bad terms with the
Chevalier de Lorraine, 281; reconciled
to Monsieur during last three years of
his life, 181-2; on die Comtesse de
Parab&rc, 182; story about Mmt de
Montespan, 183; on her son’s diree
bastards, 184; disgusted at the infor-
mality at Marly, 184; on getting old,
184, 232; fears she may have the
dropsy, 1S5; and Caroline of Wales’
stillbirth, 186; has the dropsy, 187; on
Louis XlVs debts, 188, 299; on the
Duchcsse du Maine, 299-202, 204-6,
216; on Saint-Cloud, 189; on the bad
upbringing of her Orleans grand-
children, 190; Louis XV calls on, 191;
meets her daughter, the Due de Lor-
raine and their children, 192, 294^5; on
immoral women, 193 ; on falsifications
by historians, 194; on misalliances, X 95;
on die death of Mary of Modena,
195-7; lays foundation stone , for
church at L’Abbayc an Bois, I97J
on husbands and mistresses, 197-8; on
bringing up children strictly, i$8; on.
knotting, 198; popularizes German
food, 199; on the fate of the Tsarev-
itch, 199-200; on die burning of dte
chateau at Luncville, 205-6; on die
Due de Lorraine's a flair widi Mine de
Craon, 207; on the Due de Riche-
lieu, 208-10; on tht death of Mme de
Maintenon, 208-xo; on die death of
d’EfFiat, 210; on her aunt Louise Hol-
laudine, an; on Louis XlVs -mis-
tresses, 211 ; on-.tbe death of the
Duchcsse de Berry, 212-135 on Mme
de Mouchy, 213-15 ; onJolinLaw, 214.

Index

OZISA&S, ZUSMEZH CBAHtOTTS, BVCOm

issB o' (rw^)

aitf-17, XI 9. saa. 224-7. 230-T: ih c

1 Regent iccresres her income,

>, at Chefles, 215: on French society’*
1 * quest for ndtw, 216-17; on mks at
’ Lomr XIV’s table, 218 , on disease it*
PiRvarp; on WEfcdtn von Homben>
*20. on murders m Paris, ttt.MJ. ot*
the issue fcf paper currency, 222; cfj
■the clergy, a2j; on Baron the actor^
224, 23 j, dislikes the sea, 226, attend,
v the Duebesse dc JLude's piny, 227 , ot,
the outbreaks of plague, 228, zjq,
235, recalls visit to Mary Smart, Pm*,
cess Royal, 229-30 ; on. Pope Clement
XI, 231-2; on Holland, 233 , on iead_
tag romances, 3 33, calls on Loins XV,
233,011 Cardinal Dubois, 234, 236; on
the Atturias-Montpcrwier engagement,
234-6, compares life in Louis XI V%
Court with tliat under the Regency,
237. fears for the Regent’s safety, 237,
on Mile de Mompeniier, 237-4,
prefers the gr/md hebit to the Mantem» t
338, on the Infanta of Spain, 239, 241 ;
her prank on the Marfchal de ViUcroy,
240, on the inoculation of the daugh-
ters ofihePnnctis of Wales, 240-1 ; ot*
Loins XV, 241-2 , on Mile de Bom
john, 2424111, but goes to Rheum for
the Coronation, 242-4: on her Lor-
raine grandchildren, 244; last letter,
and death, sis

Orleans, Elisabeth Charlotte d’> Mile d-
Chartres, only daughter of Ltsdotte
Set Lorraine, Duchess de
Orleans, Fnmfone Mane dc Boutbcn,
Dudiesse d’ f 1677-1740}, youngest
daughter of Louis XIV and Mnse de
Montespan, wife of Philippe ll
1 d’ Orleans, marriage, 6 o-t , drunken-
ness, 72, her ‘affairs’. 13S, birth of
•- ■> csougest daughter, 183; lazy and idle,
* 95 - 5 * 2= $-9; resentful that her
►brother vraa cor made Regent; 206,
- other references, 48, 63. 63, pj, 112,

224 , r43, ISP, 273« , 20 s, StJ, 2i?~z9,

220.235,238

Orleans, Henrietta of England, Duchesse
d’ (4644-70}, daughter of Charles f,
1st wife of PluTtppe I d'CH&ns, 35m.
Orleans, Jean Philippe, Chevalier d’
(1702-4^), son of Philippe tl d'Otlfaus
andMlJc dc Scry; legitimized in 2706,
iB4

Orleans, Louis. Dec de Chartres « d’
(1703-32), onh legitimate son of
Pfokppr H d'Ochhas, ( 44 . Ci<t, ryz-j,

195.213.232

Oilmans, Louise Adelaide d‘. Mile de
Chartres, eldest daughter of Philippe
n dOrlians Albess of Chelles, 2tj,
other references. 78, 174
Orlianj, Louise Elisabeth d‘, Mile de
Montpcnsier, daughter of Plubppe II
d’Orl&ns Set Muntpcniter
Orleans, MUe d’, 2nd daughter of
Philippe II d’Orlians, 1 660
Oilmans, Mane Loune d‘, daughter of
Philippe l d’ Or leant and I lametta of
England, first Qu'-cn cif Cliarlei 11
of Spam. See Alanc Louise. d’Otfcanj
Orlfans, Mane Louise d‘, Mile de Valob,
daughter of Philippe U d'Orl&uu. Set
Berry, Duchcsse dc

Orleans, Philippe 1, Due d’ (1640-1701),
brother of Louis XIV, caJlcdMoaneur;
mamed (1) Henrietta of England. (2)
Ef.sabcth Charlotte, Prmrrts of the
Palatinate (Liselotte). and Sophie, 34;
and Lise'otte’ alleged gderterst, jSm);
and the Orlfans inlirnance, 44. 4J, 73.
85, 160, relations -w »th Louis XIV, 52,
and d'Effut, $3-5; and the marriage of
his ion, 60 , hu new apartment*, 64: ht»
’young men, 72 7$, 97 . turns hn
daughter against dungs German. 72,
wedding present to hs* daughter. FJ5
love of church-bells, 9 1 . deatlt, 96-7,
99; quarrel wish the Kang, 96; debts,
99, and hr <1 pnrt, xtj, JR7-8, cadi of
Jus granddaughters mamed to the
Kmg’i grandsons. S 42 . reconciled to
Lisclottc m L« years, l St-2, 212, and

2,66

Letters from Liselotte

Orleans, Philippe I, Due d’ (cent.)
Elisabeth de Granccy, 211—12; story
about liis ros«xry, 227—8; other refer-
ences, 28, 30, 33, 35, 38, 42, 46, 48-9,
30, 61, 66, 68, 75, 79, 86, 89, 107, 113,
143, 216, 218, 226

Orleans, Philippe H, Due de Chartres et
d’ (1674-1723), son. of Philippe I
d’ Orleans and Liselotte, became Due
d’Orldans on his father’s death;
Regent of France during minority of
Louis XV: marriage, 60-1 ; wounded
at Stcenkirk, 62-3; corrupted by his
father, 72; his debauchery, 72, 76, 82,
93, iar, 189, 191; his mistress La
Florence, 76; his mind and conversa-
tion, 88; his mistress Mile Charlotte
Desraarcs, 88m., 225; love affair with
Mile dc Sdry, 96, 1 84; interest in music,
ios, 1x5, 119; fails to lcam German,
122-3 » interest in science, I23«.; at die
scige of Turin, 125, 126; his varied
interests, 133-4; spends a fortune on
his campaigns, 136, 139; alleged to
have poisoned the Dauphin and
Dauphine, 133-5, *59, 171, iSj; hated
in Paris, 156, 157; neglects Ids mother,
158-9; Court eabate against, 159; re-
nounces claim to Spanish throne, i6r ;
quarrels with his daughter, 162;
appointed Regent, 176; addresses die
p<7 rlement, 177; conspiracy against,
177-8, 188, 200-6; seeks closer ties
with England, 179; his mistress the
Comtesse de Paraberc, r8z; his three
bastards, 184; confronts Mine de
Maintcnon, 185; enmity of the Due
andDuchesse du Maine, r88, 199-201,
219; eye Injury, 189, 191; Ids gift to
his aster, 194; differences with the
parlemait , 199-20Q; orders arrest of
Spanish ambassador, 203; d'Effiat’s
legacy to, zio; surrounded by syco-
phants tod debauchees, 213 ; and John
Law, 2x4, 224, 231; increases his
mother’s pension, 214-16; ‘growing as
. rich as Croesus’, 218; receives the
' Duchessc du Maine, 222; other refer-

ences, 28, 30, 45, 53-5, 64-5, 73, 84-5,
116, 124, 128, 140, 143-5, 182-3, 390,
393, 212, 215, 225, 233,, 236-7, 240

Oudenarde, battle of (1708), 33X

Palatine, la (name for Lisclottc’s fur
cape), 3 if 1.

Pimthfc, opera by Philippe II d’Orl&ms,
ios

Paraberc, Marie Madeleine de Vieuville,
Comtesse de (1693-1750), mistress of
Philippe If d’ Orleans, 182, 190

Paris: christening of the Bell at St
Eustachc, 91; the famine of 1709, X34;
revolt in, 137-8; sends deputation of
fish-wives to Grand Dauphin, 146;
Philippe II d’OrlSans listed in, i$6,
T57; the poets of the Pont Neuf 157;
and the wife of Philippe II d’Orl&ins,
158; convent of Val-de-Grace, 166;
the Opdra on fire, rpo; frequent out-
breaks of fire, 190 ; disease in, 219 ; mur-
ders in, 221, 223 ; liking for the Regent
in, 221-2; dislike of Louis XIV and
Mme de Maintcnon in, 225-6; the
French malaise in, 232; other refer-
ences, 68, 381, 189, 197, 220

Paris, Archbishops of: Francois dc Harlay
dc Cliampvallon (not named in the
text), 49, 68; for his successor see
Nonilles, Louis Antoine de

Parlemcut : assembled by the Regent, 176;
relations with the Regent, 177-S, 199-
200, 224, 226; exiled to Pontoise, 22611.

Parma, Bishop of 202-3

Panne, Francesco, Ducde (d. 1727), 202,'
203

Peter die Great (1672-1725), of Russia,
78-81, 387, 199-200

Pfalz Neuberg, Maria Anna of See
Maria Anna

Pfalz Neuberg, Philip William of. See
Philip William

Philip V (1683-1746), King of Spain
from 1700 (Philippe de France, Due
d’Anjou, 2nd son of Louis the Grand
Dauphin); becomes Ring of Spain,
93—5; character, 94; renounces claim

WfX It J

Philip V (iwt) ’

ta Frcndi throne, 163, *78-80, second!
marriage. *70 *, supports the Old Fre-
l tender, , 1 81; tends the Infanta to
France. ' 134, oilier references. <&r .
83-9, 03, 103. 104. IJ3, 135. .

~ 164. 153, sot, 227; for Ins wises see
Elisabeth Famat of Parma, Mane
tonne Gabrielis of Savoy
Philip WiUuto, Elector Fiance (16*5-
00), jir

Plague, 181, iaS, 2J0. ij$

Poland Kmgs of. tee Augusms II the
Strong Sobtcski, John III , plague tr..
2JO

Potignac, Melchior de (1661-1742).
Cardinal 1712, friend of die Duchetsc
du Maine. 204-j

PomclLiTtratn, Elfonoce Christine de La
Rodiefouraiild-Roye, Mile Chefbou-
tonne, Comtessc de (16$ 1 -*708), 75
Popes See Clement XI , Innocent XIII
Portoewrcco, Abbd, Ml-4
Pnnees du set's, tie King’s bastards raised
to this rank, t«S

Protestants, persecution cf, 74, 118
Provence, plague in, 238
Prussia- Kmg o£ see Frederick III; Queen
of srt Sophie Charlotte, Crown Prince
of, seeTredcridc NVftbun

Quadruple Alliance, non
Qiactirm, lo6n

Roane, Jean (1 639-09), jS«

Raisin. La, actress, smsires of the Grand
Dauphin, 7711., 14.71
Ranh, distinctions o£ 128, 141-2, r*3
Ratlmmshautcn, Leemore vob. a efufd-
hood friend of Lisclottc, 70, 77, 104.

»u, n9.H9 167.209

Rs&cnac. FtanO* 15 de Pas, Martjau de
Fewpnira (1648-5711), French w»-
bisssdor m Spain, jj
RnAinmfe, mnw by Coyievax. 1 to, 117
Rlieiimi coronation of Louis XV at,
243-4, Archbishop of, set Le Tclhcr,
Charles Matinee

IUbboiw»i2iircs. See rnntm^es ‘
Richelieu, Arniand Jean da pt-sas, Dos
de(i 58 s-l 64 s),js 3 Srt
Richelieu. Ltnm Fernand Atraand dt
Plcsiu, Dm dc (1696-1738), royd and
seducer nf Mile de Voloh, 208-10, 218
Utgaud, Hyaondie (*659-1743). por-
trait pi inter, 361-2, 174. zoS, 309, 21 j ’
tLorn, Sicarre, Antouut Annand Auguste
Nicolas d" Aydit, Comte de(b 1692),
209-JO

Roman. King See Joseph I
ILoiim, 397

RxchouscPIot (1683), 4tn

Ryiwiclr Treat) of (1677), So*., 8irt., tot

St Alb in, the AbW Charles de. See
Charles de St Albin

Saint-Cloud, Momieuth country seat, 7 j,

113.116,177.189

St Cyr: Mine de ADmtenon’* convent
school at, 58, 70 76, Mme de Mam-
tenon retires to, 179-80; Pete* tie
Great's visit to 187

Saim-Dems (Seine, District of Pam).
I66u.

Si m i-Geo rge% Chevalier de. See James
Francis Edrvard Smart
St Germain, seat of the «dtd J ana 11 ,
32, 90. 96, i id, iat

Saitu-Si&u Chevalier de, officer In. the
roy*! bod) guard, wpterry in the house
ofCondd. j8

Saint-Simon, Lotus de Rouvroy, Doc dc
(1675-17S5). 37'U <50,1 88
Saucy diamond, 245

Savoie, D echoic de See Anne Mane
il'OiIhm

Savoy, I, teie Adelasdt of 5ft Bour-
gogne, Doth rise dc
Savoy, Marie Lcrnse Gabncllc of See
Mane Lwa-e GabntUo
Sca-ron, Pan! (1610-60), ftm husband of
Mme dc Mauiceaon 509
Seeanx, Chateau de Seine (Duirrrt cf
Pans), country home of the Dae du
Marne, H7. aoo. aoj, -16

268

Schomberg, Arm and Frddcric, Due de
(1615-go), s 6

Schomberg and Leiflster, Caroline
Duchess of, half-sister of Lisclottc, 169
SclirUsshcim, -vineyards of 229
Schulenbcrg, Melusuia von. Duchess of
Kendal (1667-1743), mistress of George
I, i8on.

Schwetzingcn, 208
Scuddry, Madeleine dc, 8411.

Scbastien, Pcre, t40

Sdgur, Henri Frangois, Comte, later
Marquis de (1689—1731), married the
daughter of Philippe II d’Orl6ans and
Mile Desmarcs, 225
Scignclay, Marquis de, 122
Seissac, Parisian, gambler, 78
Scneffe, battle of (1674), 2911,

Sdry, Mile dc. See Argenton, Comtesse d’
Shrewsbury, Duchess of (if. 1726), 71
Silesia, plague in, 230
Smallpox: Lisclotte a victim of, 146,
241 ; Joseph I dies of, 148 ; rife in Lor-
raine, 148, 149

Sobicski, John HI (1629-96) King of
Poland, defeated the Turks and
liberated Vienna; Polish national hero,
43 , 89 «.

Sobicski, Maria Clementine, wife of the
Old Pretender, 231-2
Sophie, EIcctrcss of Hanover (</. ,1714),
youngest daughter of Elizabeth, Queen
ofBohenjia (the* Winter Queen') ; mar-
ried Ernest Augustus of Brunswick-
LGneburg; mother of George I
of England, aunt of Lisclottc and
recipient of many of her letters: visits
St Cloud, 34; nominated as Heir to the
English throne, 93, 96; death, 164-5;
other references, 27, 50, 184, 229-30
Sophie Charlotte (1668-1705), married
Frederick III, Elector of Brandenburg;
Queen, of Prussia from 1701, 290., 49 «-»
106, £18

Sopbie Dorothea (1687-3757), daughter
of George Louis - of Hanover (George
I) and SopliicDorothea of Celle; mar-
ried Frederick William I of Prussia;

Letters from L iseloite

mother of Frederick the Great, 124m
Sorbonne, the, 67, 231
Soubisc, Anne de Kohan-Chabnt, Prin-
cesse de; one of Louis XTV’s passages,
2rr

South Sea Bubble, 228
Spain: Kings of see Charles II; Philip II.
Queens of, see Elisabeth Famcsc of
Parma; Maria Anna ofPfalz Neuhcrg;
Marie Louise Gabriclle of Savoy;
Marie Louise d'Orlcnns; Montpensicr,
Mile de. Infanta of, see Infanta
Spanish Succession, War of the, 109 ct
scq.

Spies at Louis XTV’s Court, 132
Stair, John Dalrymplc, 2nd Earl of

(1672-1747). 178

Steenkirk, battle of (1692), 62-3
Strasbourg, 3 6

Sully, Mane Antoinette Scrvicu, Duch-
essc de (1643-1702), 91
Sunderland, Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl

of (1674-1722). 149-50
Sweden, King of See Charles XII

Teray, M-, personal physician to Lisc-
lottc, 209 . 219, 232

Tessd, Rcn6 HI de Froullay, Comte de
(1650- J725), Marcchal dc France, 129
Thfoghic cl Clarictte, by Heliodorc, 233
Theatre, attempt to close the, 67-8
Theobon, Lydic de. Sec Bcuvron
Torcy, Jean Baptiste Colbert, Marquis dc
(1665-1746), minister under Louis
XTV, censor of Liselottes letters, 109,

1S9, 236

Toulon, i2p, 22S

Toulouse, Louis Alexandre de Bourbon,
Comte de (1678-1737), youngest son
of Louis XIV and Mine de Monte-
span, 52H., -8 in., 82«., 136, 166, 205
Trianon, the, 121, 12411.

Tsar of Russia. See Peter the Great
Tsarevitch Alcxcj, son of Peter die
Great, 199-200
Tuileries, the, 239
Tulips, xo8

Index

Turenne, Ham de b Tour d Auvergne,
Vicomte dc (t 611-75), Mar&hal dc
Prance. 2.9

Turn, siege sad battle of (1706), 125-6
Uriiiri, Mane Anne dc La Tr^moille,
D tithes* of Braceiano, called Pruicessc
da { 1641-1722) doom* to the Queen
of Spain. 104, her libel on Philippe II
s d Orleans, i$3^4: the power behind
the Spanish throne, 164. falls from
power, and receives pension, *70-1.
ether references, 203, 220
Utrecht, Treaty* of (17*3), i 6 r
VaWe-Grlcc, convene c£ iC 6 n
Valence. Mile de, 1J
Valois, Due dc See Orleans, Alexandrc-
loms d'

Valotj, Charlotte Aglac d'Oriiatu, Mile
«lc, 3rd daughter of Philippe II
d Oilmans mamed the Duke of
Modena affair with die Doc dc
Richelieu, aoSn , 200-10, her appear-,
ance, 217-1*. engagement and mar-.
nage, at 8, 221 , other references, j66,
174. 15>5. 3*5. =23

Vcnduuie, Loins Joseph dc Bourbon,

Due de (16 $4-17*2). no, *3*. 202-3
Voitadour, Cliarlotte tlconore de La
Mothe-Houdancourt, Duchasc dc
(1661-1744), one of Lis clone's ladies
and governesses to several Eitfants dt
Fraier, 63. 7J. 97, *55. 234
VcriaiUes - hunting at, 30-1, the Galerie
lies Gbecs, 40-1 , annual fair at, 162 ,
J ’ and references pojsutt
Vienna, siege of(iGSj), 41
Vi liars, Claude Lous Hector, Due de

269

(1OS3-17J4), Mar&hal dc France, 130,
138M

Vdle&rt, Mme de, tuidcr-govcntess to
the future Lmus XV, tjj

Vdlcroy, Francois dc NeulVille, Due dc
Cbarost « dc (1644-1730), Marfdul
dc Ftci ce and governor of Louis XV,
240,243

Vincennes, 276, 177

Visconn, General llanmbal, no

Vj»<F, Philippa de. favourite of Mari—
Thdrcsc <2

Vitr>, 65

Voynn. Darnel Franfon (1054-1717),
Louis XIV t minister of war, 136c

Wales, Fnncc and Princess of Sec
Caroline, George II

Walters, Lucy (tOjo^jS), mistress of
Charles II and mother of the Duke of
Monmouth, 4tn

Wendt, Junker von, Liwlotrc’s steward,
fortrerly Equerry at flic Paburc
Court, 38, 67. 209, 235-6

Wtfhelmme Emcsnne of Denmark
(1650-4706) wife of die Elector
Cluiles and LueloUes iistcr-tn-bw,
aipi . 40

William cf Orange (1650-1702)
(William ni of England) mama'-c,
32, hjs manners, 32-j, captures citadel
of Namur, 70-: , alleged to be con-
sidering marrying Lvelottc* 1 daughter,
80, recognized by France, Son , death,
106-7, Other references, 23 55, 56-7,
6t, 63, 80,92, 96, 101,330

Zweibnicken, Prince of, 18S

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